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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26554309">You Got Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/'>Anonymous</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ASTRO (Band), Monsta X (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:42:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,626</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26554309</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hyunwoo runs into Minhyuk and they hook up, and they keep running into each other and keep hooking up, and somewhere along the way they manage to fall in love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Park Minhyuk | Rocky/Son Hyunwoo | Shownu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Anonymous</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Got Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to S for a quick and dirty beta.</p><p>Sad times for Aroha and Monbebe inside. Enter at your own risk.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time Hyunwoo met Rocky - it was hard to think of him as Minhyuk when he already had a Minhyuk on his team and his Minhyuk was bright and manic and a little brittle and savage around the edges - Hyunwoo had survived his first year as a rookie and a brutal eight-month hiatus enforced by two teammates being injured and felt like he’d finally found his footing in his career, and Rocky was a little rookie himself, seven years his junior, and they were on Hit the Stage together.</p><p>Hyunwoo had spent seven years as a trainee, which was a very long time compared to a lot of other idols, but Rocky, as it turned out, had spent six years as a trainee.</p><p>“Six,” Hyunwoo echoed.</p><p>Rocky nodded earnestly. He was still in high school, had one of those rookie-bright smiles, was eager to get out and about and promote his team and be cute for the cameras (and was probably also eager to skip school). </p><p>“How long have you been dancing?” Hyunwoo asked.</p><p>“Since I was four,” Rocky said.</p><p>Hyunwoo bit back a swear word even though there were no cameras around. “Four. You’ve wanted to be an idol since you were four?”</p><p>Rocky laughed. “No, my mother worked at a dance school so she brought me along and she said I stopped crying whenever the music came on so she enrolled me in lessons. I wanted to be in musicals and auditioned for Billy Elliot because I was a tap dancer, you know? I got the part but one of the older boys in the cast auditioned for an entertainment company and encouraged me to do the same. I passed the audition but wanted to do the play instead, only my father said he’d get me a Wii if I joined the entertainment company and I really wanted a Wii, so...here I am.” Then he ducked his head and blushed. “Sorry I rambled, sunbaenim.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Hyunwoo said. “So, you tap dance?”</p><p>Rocky nodded. “I did tap and jazz and ballet and modern as well as hip-hop.”</p><p>He was one of those kids who lived and breathed dance. Hyunwoo was kind of jealous of that kind of focus. </p><p>“That’s cool.”</p><p>Rocky gazed up at him earnestly. “I heard you were Lee Hyori-sunbaenim’s main dancer. Is it weird, dancing with a girl like that?”</p><p>“It’s just dancing,” Hyunwoo said, although the first time he’d come within kissing distance of Lee Hyori he’d panicked and sneezed and spent fifteen minutes groveling and apologizing. “Same as anyone else. You have a character to play, and so does she.”</p><p>Rocky nodded. “Thanks, sunbaenim.”</p><p>“Is Astro planning on having girl backup dancers for their next stage?”</p><p>“I was planning on having a girl dancer for my performance here,” Rocky said. </p><p>Hyunwoo raised his eyebrows. Bold move, for a rookie. </p><p>“I’ve never really choreographed for girls before, so it’ll be an interesting challenge,” Rocky said. </p><p>Hyunwoo smiled. “You like to choreograph?”</p><p>Rocky nodded. “I like to make sure our team is <em> us </em> when we’re on stage, you know? Our tutors still help us for our title songs, but our B-sides are all mine.”</p><p>Hyunwoo was a decent choreographer, but the company had yet to trust him with a full B-side song for a live stage. He stared at Rocky, who was almost the same height as him but seemed so slender and <em> small </em> and <em> young </em>somehow, and he didn’t feel jealous, but he did feel...tired. </p><p>He was nervous when he watched Rocky’s performance, which was breathtaking in its theatricality. Rocky could have been in musicals easily. What was he doing as an idol? He had so much more to give. As a rookie Hyunwoo never would have painted his face green and gone all out like that. </p><p>But Hyunwoo was a more seasoned performer and he knew better what audiences wanted, and he took the trophy that day. </p><p>Rocky, eager little rookie that he was, accepted the loss with much grace, pleased to have the chance to perform at all and promote his team. Hyunwoo remembered that kind of hungry eagerness and wondered if he missed that energy or was glad he was past it. </p><hr/><p>That wasn’t the last he saw of young Rocky, though. Rocky plus four other dancers who’d been on Hit the Stage with them teamed up for the Ultra Dance Festival, a special sub-unit of six. </p><p>“What should we call ourselves?” Hyunwoo asked. </p><p>“Six Pack,” Jinyoung said. “There’s six of us.”</p><p>“I’m not showing my abs on television,” Dino said, just as Rocky hiked up his shirt and peered down at himself.</p><p>He was incredibly lean, all muscle, so of course he had a six-pack.</p><p>Ten patted him on the shin. “Great. If anyone asks, you can show off your abs.”</p><p>Rocky shrugged with an easy confidence in his body that Hyunwoo envied.</p><p>The choreographer arrived, and the six of them surged to their feet, ready to work. As it turned out, not only had the choreographer worked with Rocky on his performance for Hit the Stage, he’d worked with Rocky’s team before on one of their title songs, and he drafted Rocky as his assistant choreographer, which made sense, since Rocky came from a team of six and had a good sense of how six people moved on stage without an actual center to balance them out.</p><p>Rocky the choreographer and dance leader was hardworking and serious, belied his age, and Hyunwoo admired him, did his best to listen well.</p><p>It was fun working with him; Hyunwoo felt more comfortable with him than he did with the other dancers - besides Jinyoung, who Hyunwoo had trained with for years - and by the time they were ready to perform, they felt like a real team, and Hyunwoo was pleased.</p><p>At the interview for the performance, Jinyoung acted as their leader, and they all made introductions for their subunit.</p><p>Naturally, the MC asked if they had six packs, and Hyunwoo volunteered Rocky, who smiled sweetly at the camera - and then tugged up his shirt. Hyunwoo winced internally. He was just a kid. Someone else should have volunteered as tribute. Dino was just a kid too. Even though Hyunwoo wasn’t the senior-most idol, he was the oldest there.</p><p>Still, he was a professional, and he kept it together through the brief interview until it was time for them to perform.</p><p>And they rocked it. </p><p>Even though Hyunwoo had always wanted to be an idol, worked hard practising singing as well as dancing, there was something about just <em> dancing </em>that made him feel alive in a way that singing didn’t, and when the performance ended and the audience cheered, he felt like he was flying.</p><p>He and the others took their bows and then hurried offstage.</p><p>“You looked really great out there,” Hyunwoo said to Rocky.</p><p>Rocky grinned up at him. “Thanks, sunbaenim. You’re a really amazing dancer.”</p><p>“You too.”</p><p>Rocky was senior in the industry to Ten by only a small margin but he seemed - fresher, somehow? Still so eager and energetic. </p><p>Hyunwoo resisted the urge to say something terribly condescending and jaded, like, <em> Stay like this, kid, </em>because he didn’t want to scare Rocky, and also Rocky was a professional, just like Hyunwoo. So they headed to the dressing room to get changed, and Hyunwoo figured he’d keep an eye on Rocky, as time went on, see what that kid was made of.</p><hr/><p>It was easy to keep an eye on Rocky’s team, because they were kind of on the same comeback cycle, and also Rocky’s team leader was a rapper and sort of friends with Jooheon, being only two years younger than Jooheon and also the same age as Changkyun. They saw each other at big events, like music festivals, and sat near each other at ISAC sometimes, talked quietly and shared candy. </p><p>Hyunwoo really loved the way Rocky and his team danced, with a jazzy, elegant, classy style Hyunwoo and his team could never manage, mostly because it didn’t fit their concept as a group, and also because none of them had had the training for it. </p><p>Hyunwoo lost track of Rocky’s team after a while, because they fell off of the same comeback cycle, and then he heard. Their company was in financial trouble. Possible forced disbandment? They hadn’t had any promotions that year. </p><p>When Hyunwoo ran into Rocky again, it was randomly, on a night off, when he was wandering the city and just enjoying himself. </p><p>“Ah - sunbaenim.”</p><p>“Rocky, hello.”</p><p>They bowed, greeted each other politely. </p><p>“You can call me Minhyuk,” Rocky said. “It’s less likely to get us recognized. Not that anyone ever recognizes me. You, though. It might put you at more risk.” He ducked his head. </p><p>“Right. It’s just. I have a Minhyuk on my team, and you’re the opposite of him,” Hyunwoo said. He didn’t add, <em> You’re more like me. Quiet.  </em></p><p>“Right. He’s more like my Myungjun-hyung.” Minhyuk smiled, and he had dimples. Had he always had dimples?</p><p>That was silly. People didn’t suddenly get dimples. </p><p>Hyunwoo said, “You want to get a drink? We can talk. Catch up.”</p><p>Minyuk ducked his head. “Sure, sunbaenim.”</p><p>Hyunwoo started toward a convenience store for some beer. “Wait. Are you old enough to drink?”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded. “Yes, I turned twenty this year. I graduated from high school.”</p><p>“Oh. Good. Sorry. It’s just - all of my team has pretty much always been able to drink, so.” Hyunwoo smiled awkwardly and then ducked into the store. </p><p>Minhyuk sat at the table outside the convenience store, waiting patiently. He really was like Hyunwoo, with his blank expression, his dark eyes. Hyunwoo returned with a couple of beers, which they cracked open. </p><p><em> “Geonbae,” </em>Hyunwoo said, and drank.</p><p>Minhyuk turned away politely and sipped, then set his can down.</p><p>“Ah, you can drink comfortably in front of me,” Hyunwoo said. “You’re not a rookie anymore. Even though I debuted a year before you, you trained almost as long as I did. We’ve been in this business almost the same amount of time.”</p><p>Which was mind-boggling, really. Hyunwoo had started training at the same age Minhyuk had been getting ready to debut.</p><p>“Thank you, sunbaenim,” Minhyuk said, and took another sip, this time without turning away. “How is your team? I saw you got your first win last year and a win with your first comeback this year.”</p><p>“Ah, yes, we are doing well. And - and your team?”</p><p>“Eunwoo-hyung is filming a drama,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>An awkward silence fell. Hyunwoo cleared his throat. “Do you want some soju so we can do somaek?”</p><p>“Ah - I’m not very good at drinking. Even though I’m old enough now, Sanha-ya still isn’t, so usually when the hyungs drink, I just have cider with him.” Minhyuk shrugged.</p><p>Hyunwoo considered. He’d forgotten what it was like, without his teammates - usually his own Minhyuk - to smooth the way, to make conversation and lift the mood. Then he really looked at Minhyuk, and he remembered: Minhyuk was more like him. So he said, “You want to dance?”</p><p>Minhyuk blinked. “Like at a club?”</p><p>“No, just you and me, freestyling. My company is near here. We can use one of the smaller practice rooms.” Hyunwoo rose.</p><p>Minhyuk lit up. “Sure. Sunbaenim is so good at popping. I’d love to learn.”</p><p>The air between them was much more relaxed as they ambled toward the company building. Hyunwoo polished off both of their drinks. Even though he wasn’t much taller than Minhyuk, he was definitely the bigger of them, and a couple of beers wouldn’t do him in. They discussed their taste in music as they walked. Minhyuk liked a lot of Justin Bieber, whereas Hyunwoo liked Charlie Puth. Minhyuk asked about Hyunwoo’s time with JYP, what training there was like, if it was true that he’d almost debuted with Got7. Hyunwoo didn’t talk about the really difficult times, just talked about the parts he liked, that were memorable, that might be useful to an artist from a smaller company.</p><p>Minhyuk nodded but said little, and Hyunwoo got the sense that Minhyuk was really <em> listening </em> to him.</p><p>Hyunwoo used his employee badge to get them into the company, and they headed to one of the small side practice rooms, one big enough for just the two of them.</p><p>“Any songs in particular?” Hyunwoo asked.</p><p>Minhyuk shook his head. “Surprise me,” he said, with a mischievous glint in his eyes.</p><p>He set about stretching out, and wow, he was flexible. He’d said he’d studied ballet, but Hyunwoo hadn’t really thought of the implications of that all the way through. None of Hyunwoo’s teammates were nearly that flexible. Hyunwoo knew girls who weren’t that flexible. </p><p>Hyunwoo turned on a playlist of songs he liked to just mess around to, started with a chill song, and warmed up himself. Even though they were both just going to freestyle and play, their bodies were their instruments, and they would treat them carefully, so warming up was important.</p><p>Once the song ended, a faster one came on, with heavier bass and a driving beat, and they both began to move. They both lost themselves in the music, and it was a bit like they were the only two people on the dance floor at a club, doing their own thing, but Hyunwoo had alcohol loosening his limbs, and he’d danced with Minhyuk before, even if that was literally years before, and he could dance with Minhyuk again.</p><p>Halfway through the song, they were making eye contact, and they started playing games, taking turns leading and following.</p><p>By the time the second song had started, they’d devolved into a lesson, Hyunwoo showing Minhyuk a particular popping move. Minhyuk understood instinctively, learned fast. He had amazing control over his own body. In the intervening years since they’d danced together, he’d gotten a little taller, a little broader across the hips and shoulders, and though he was still slender and incredibly lean, he was bigger, more solid. </p><p>Hyunwoo knew he’d never be able to turn like Minhyuk, who’d spent years learning those crazy ballet spins, but Minhyuk showed him how to do a single turn faster, the way he’d move his feet and then whip his body around, and it looked slick and badass, and Hyunwoo really liked it.</p><p>Somehow they ended up talking about their mutual admiration of Rain, which led to Hyunwoo putting on his Rain playlist, and they danced along to all the songs they knew, which was all of them, and Minhyuk really was a phenomenal dancer. Hyunwoo knew his strength as a performer lay in his ability to move fluidly despite his size. Minhyuk seemed to be able to pour energy into every inch of his body and let it flow, and he moved with perfect precision and power and a grace that Hyunwoo could never dream of matching.</p><p>Hyunwoo put on Hip Song and danced his heart out, and Minhyuk went wild and cheered, pretending to be a rabid fangirl, which just made Hyunwoo blush and laugh, and then it was Minhyuk’s turn to dance, and then they were both dancing and taking turns, riffing off of each other, tossing the dance back and forth, and then they were actually dancing <em> together, </em>could feel the flow of the music, and they were moving like a unit, like they’d been dancing together for years.</p><p>The next song came on, and they moved closer, feeding off each other’s energy and heat. Hyunwoo met Minhyuk’s gaze, and it seemed perfectly natural to reach out, reel him in close, link in, and when Minhyuk swept a hand along Hyunwoo’s arm he didn’t hesitate to sweep his hand down Minhyuk’s back, and when Minhyuk dropped to one knee, Hyunwoo followed him down to the floor and then -</p><p>And then they were kissing, mouths slotted together and hips slotted together, tongues twining and hips rolling, and oh hell, it had been so damn long since Hyunwoo had done this, and had Minhyuk ever done this before? Because he seemed plenty eager but also his hand on Hyunwoo’s hip was shaking, but maybe that was adrenaline and hormones and also the fact that they were in a practice room at Hyunwoo’s company.</p><p>Hyunwoo sank back and parted his thighs, let Minhyuk settle between them, and they kept on kissing. Minhyuk was thrusting against him, panting into the kiss but also moving in time to the music, which could have been weird but was instead incredibly sexy, and Hyunwoo moved with him, kissing him lazily.</p><p>Only Minhyuk’s hands were still shaking where he was petting the skin beneath Hyunwoo’s shirt where it had come untucked from his jeans while they were dancing, and when he pulled back to catch his breath, he whispered, </p><p>“Sunbae, I’ve never done this before.”</p><p>Hyunwoo closed his eyes. He remembered his first time, with a beautiful boy he now only saw sometimes backstage at broadcast shows. Then he opened his eyes and said, “Under the circumstances, I think it’s fine if you call me Hyunwoo-hyung.”</p><p>“Hyung,” Minhyuk breathed, wide-eyed.</p><p>He was beautiful, his lips kiss-plump, face flushed, his eyes dark with lust. He deserved better than to be taken on the floor of some cramped practice room for his first time. So Hyunwoo told him where to find condoms and lube in his dance bag, and he spread out a blanket, and he lay back again. Minhyuk knelt beside him, blushing.</p><p>“Do we have to take off our clothes?”</p><p>“Only as much as you’re comfortable with.”</p><p>Minhyuk looked Hyunwoo up and down. Then he leaned down and kissed him again, crawled on top of him once more, and this time his hands weren’t shaking as he unfastened the button on Hyunwoo’s jeans.</p><p>While Minhyuk deliberately peeled them out of their clothes, Hyunwoo talked him through protection and preparation.</p><p>“Protection I know,” Minhyuk said. “They taught us in training.”</p><p>Hyunwoo raised his eyebrows.</p><p>Minhyuk nodded. “But for everything else, I’ll need your help.”</p><p>They took their time, and Minhyuk was just was careful and thorough and attentive as when he was learning choreography, and then -</p><p>And then he was bracing himself on one arm while he positioned himself with his other hand, and then he was sliding in, inch by careful inch, and Hyunwoo couldn’t help but hiss at the initial burn, because it had been such a long time despite Minhyuk’s careful preparation.</p><p>“Am I hurting you? Should I stop?” Minhyuk asked, wide-eyed. </p><p>Hyunwoo nodded. “I’m fine. Keep going.”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded. His skin was glowing with sweat, his eyes dark with focus as he moved slowly, slowly, slowly.</p><p>He hit Hyunwoo’s sweet spot, and Hyunwoo jolted.</p><p>Minhyuk froze in an act of incredible willpower and muscle control.“Hyung?”</p><p>“That was good,” Hyunwoo whispered. “I promise. Keep going.”</p><p>He reached up, curled a hand around the back of Minhyuk’s neck and drew him in close so their foreheads were pressed together.</p><p>Minhyuk exhaled shakily and resumed thrusting in, and Hyunwoo saw the moment he bottomed out, saw the utter pleasure that crossed his face.</p><p>He was beautiful.</p><p>“O-oh. That feels so - oh.”</p><p>“Good?” Hyunwoo smiled, but his chest was tight, because he wanted to <em> move. </em> He’d seen Minhyuk in action, knew what those hips could do, and he didn’t want this slow. He wanted it hard and fast.</p><p>Minhyuk whimpered. “Hyung.”</p><p>“Minhyuk-ah. You all right?”</p><p>“Can I move?”</p><p>“Please do.”</p><p>Minhyuk, damn him, started to slide in and out damnably slow. Hyunwoo reached down with one hand and grabbed his ass, felt the flex of muscle beneath smooth skin.</p><p>“You can go faster,” he said.</p><p>Minhyuk said, “Can I touch you too?”</p><p>“All you want.”</p><p>Minhyuk curled his hand around Hyunwoo’s hard cock and, because he was ballet flexible, leaned over and swirled his tongue around one of Hyunwoo’s nipples, and Hyunwoo nearly came then and there, but then Minhyuk started to stroke and thrust and lick with unerring dancer coordination, and Hyunwoo settled into the rhythm with him. Minhyuk was brave, experimental, stroking along Hyunwoo’s ribs and belly, pressing kisses along his collarbones and throat, leaning up to nip at his mouth.</p><p>It was like dancing together all over again, sending energy back and forth, gazing into each other’s eyes, humming into each other’s mouths, pressing and touching, pushing and pulling. They sensed the end coming together, and Minhyuk sped up, thrusting harder and faster, trying to find Hyunwoo’s sweet spot, stroking Hyunwoo’s cock with his big warm hand. He had long, strong fingers, and he’d thumb the tip just so, sending lightning dancing up and down Hyunwoo’s spine.</p><p>The climax hit like a freight train. Hyunwoo’s world burned white-hot with searing pleasure as the orgasm ripped through him. Minhyuk clung to him, face buried against his throat, fingers gripping his hips hard enough to bruise.</p><p>When Hyunwoo opened his eyes, Minhyuk was gazing at him, dazed and panting, still lost in the haze of pleasure. Hyunwoo wrapped his arms around Minhyuk and helped him disengage and held him as he trembled through the aftershocks. </p><p>“You all right?” Hyunwoo asked.</p><p>“Pretty sure I’m the best I’ve ever been,” Minhyuk said with a little laugh, and Hyunwoo chuckled softly.</p><p>Together they cleaned up and dressed, tidied up. They left the practice room, and Hyunwoo switched off the light.</p><p>“Will you get into trouble, going back to the dorm so late?” Hyunwoo asked.</p><p>Minhyuk shook his head, and his expression sobered. “Will you?”</p><p>Hyunwoo shook his head. Then he said, “Listen. Tonight. This wasn’t what I had planned. I really did just intend to dance. I’m not like this usually. But - I don’t regret it, all right? And I hope you don’t either.”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded, and his gaze lit up. “I don’t regret it, hyung.” </p><p>He smiled shyly, and Hyunwoo remembered how young Minhyuk was, but also he remembered how Minhyuk <em> moved. </em></p><p>Minhyuk said, “Under the circumstances, you should probably have my phone number.” He held out his phone.</p><p>Hyunwoo typed in his number and his name, Hyunwoo-hyung, and handed his phone back.</p><p>“Not Shownu-sunbae?”</p><p>“Only when we’re working,” he said.</p><p>“All right.” Minhyuk tapped at his phone.</p><p>Hyunwoo felt his own phone buzz a moment later with an incoming text message. </p><p>“You have my number too.” Minhyuk waved and headed down the street. “Good night, hyung. I’ll see you.”</p><p>Hyunwoo waved back and watched him go till he was out of sight.</p><p>He had no idea what had happened between them. He was pretty sure it wouldn’t happen again. Minhyuk was young, would end up dating someone his own age. But they’d had a good experience, and they’d both remember it fondly.</p><p>Hyunwoo turned and headed back to his own dorm.</p><p>“You were out late,” Kihyun said idly from where he was reading on the couch as Hyunwoo kicked off his shoes in the foyer crowded with so many other shoes.</p><p>“I ended up hanging out with a dancer from another team,” Hyunwoo said. “We did some freestyle.”</p><p>“Did you learn anything new?” Hyungwon asked.</p><p>“How to turn faster.”</p><hr/><p>Hyunwoo sent one text to make sure Minhyuk made it back to his dorm safe, and Minhyuk sent a reply in confirmation, and after that there was nothing, but Hyunwoo hadn’t really expected anything, and he didn’t mind.</p><p>He checked out a bit of Astro’s music, but it really wasn’t his style, mostly too cute and bright for his taste, though he’d admit that their rap line was pretty good. Mostly he watched their dance practice videos so he could watch Minhyuk move. At first he told himself it was so he could see the way Minhyuk turned - especially since it was different from the way his teammates turned even though they all turned fast and with impeccable synchronization - but eventually he admitted to himself it was so he could watch Minhyuk.</p><p>And then, out of curiosity, he dug a little deeper into what was going on with Minhyuk’s team and why they hadn’t had any comebacks this year, weren’t doing any promotions.</p><p>He’d studied economics, could read between the lines, understood the real peril Minhyuk and his teammates were in. And he’d been an idol long enough that he could read the undercurrent of tension in the fandom, the fear and silence. Yes, Cha Eunwoo was filming and appearing in a major drama, but that could have been the beginning of the end, one of them making his escape from a sinking ship.</p><p>When news of a special album hit, Hyunwoo was curious.</p><p>When the music video dropped, he watched it. It was a different tone from their other title tracks, both visually and aurally. He was surprised when Minhyuk sang. He hadn’t realized Minhyuk could sing that well, apart from offering the occasional harmony on a chorus, but then people were often surprised when Jooheon could sing, still.</p><p>And then Minhyuk hit that jump in the second chorus, and Hyunwoo was reminded that once upon a time he’d studied ballet, and he wondered what it must feel like, to be able to fly like that. Having just the dance line perform the choreography was a beautiful touch, and Hyunwoo wondered what the performance video - if any - would look like. </p><p>But Hyunwoo couldn’t linger too much on another team, because he had his own team to think about, about their next comeback. The concept for their next comeback would be tying back into the concept from a couple of previous comebacks, plus the concept from their last world tour, the seven deadly sins and also time travel, to connect things with their next world tour, and there were a lot of details to finagle, like visual concepts for the teaser films for the tours and the albums, details to include in the photo shoots, and a thousand other things to worry about.</p><p>It was pure coincidence that Hyunwoo happened to be at the broadcasting station the day Minhyuk and his team were there to perform, because Hyunwoo wasn’t performing - he was just there to support another team. He happened to glimpse Minhyuk in the hall while he was backstage searching for his friend’s dressing room, and he’d paused, because he recognized the way Minhyuk moved, and he’d been arrested by the flash of skin as Minhyuk turned and his costume shirt fluttered.</p><p>Hyunwoo had seen a lot of scandalous costumes in his time, had worn a lot of scandalous costumes in his time - had worn bondage gear just earlier that year for his previous comeback - and usually he was unimpressed by the shock value of it all, but something about the way Minhyuk’s shirt flowed, the way the cut fabric bared his belly made Hyunwoo remember that night on the practice room floor, Minhyuk’s smooth warm skin and the roll of his hips.</p><p>Hyunwoo found his friend, and he stuck close, was supportive - but he also managed to catch an AD and find out when Minhyuk’s team was performing, and since their performance didn’t conflict with his friend’s, he pulled up his hood and ducked his head and sneaked out to the crowd and watched.</p><p>He’d watched the dance cut from the music video a thousand times just to watch that gorgeous leap. As he’d watched that short video, he was pretty sure he saw, in the roll and slide of Minhyuk’s hips, a new sensuousness, a new smoothness that hadn’t been there before in previous performances and dance practices. Maybe it was time and experience and practice, but Hyunwoo suspected it was something more.</p><p>As he watched the performance, he sensed an odd energy in the air, not just from the fans but from the stage as well. After the recording ended, Minhyuk and his team assembled at the front of the stage and thanked the staff, thanked the fans, spoke to them briefly, but they were tense, and the fans were - sad. What was going on?</p><p>Hyunwoo ducked backstage at the same time as Minhyuk and his team did. He managed to catch Minhyuk as he was on his way back to his dressing room.</p><p>“Ah - sunbae,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>The rest of Minhyuk’s teammates greeted Hyunwoo but continued on past him.</p><p>Hyunwoo realized how strange he must look, in a dark hoodie and jeans, practically bare-faced, where Minhyuk was perfectly made up for the stage, still glistening with sweat from dancing hard.</p><p>“I’m just here supporting a friend,” Hyunwoo said. “You looked really great out there.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Minhyuk swallowed hard, looked away. He said, “I know I never called or texted. I just -”</p><p>Hyunwoo said, quietly, “Are you all right?”</p><p>Minhyuk took a deep breath. He glanced around, then darted into a small side room. Hyunwoo followed. It was barely more than a cupboard, badly lit. He didn’t think twice about locking the door behind them.</p><p>“I’ve heard things are crazy at your company,” Hyunwoo said. “Are you all right?”</p><p>“We still don’t know what’s going on. This might be our last time on a music show.” Minhyuk’s eyes were bright, almost feverish. “Everything is - crazy.”</p><p>Hyunwoo reached out, put a hand on Minhyuk’s hip, inches from his bare skin. “Hey. Take a few deep breaths. Whatever happens, you’re still an amazing dancer.”</p><p>“If they disband us, I’ll just enlist, and then - and then I don’t know. Go to university, I guess? I’ll need to take the entrance exam first. I never did. Bin-hyung didn’t either. Dongmin and Jinwoo and Myungjun did, but they’re smart. Sanha’s smart too. But Bin and I -”</p><p>“Deep breaths,” Hyunwoo said again, and Minhyuk nodded, sucking in a few gulps of air.</p><p>“There you go,” Hyunwoo said, rubbing small circles over a bare patch of skin just above the top of Minhyuk’s jeans with his thumb, just beneath the cut of fabric of his flowing white shirt.</p><p>“Sunbae,” Minhyuk said, and then, “hyung?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>Minhyuk’s eyes were wide, dark, his pupils blown. “That feels really good.”</p><p>“Do you want a little more?”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded, and it was easy for Hyunwoo to slide his hand further under Minhyuk’s shirt, feel the slide of steel muscle beneath silken skin. </p><p>“That feels <em> really </em> good,” Minhyuk said, and he must have been pretty out of his mind with tension and emotion for such a simple touch to get him going like that, but he was arching into Hyunwoo’s hand like a cat wanting more pets, and his eyes started to slip closed.</p><p>Hyunwoo crowded closer, guiding Minhyuk so he was leaning up against the wall.</p><p>“Hyung, I want more, but I can’t - the others will find out -” Minhyuk bit his lip and rolled his hips.</p><p>Hyunwoo cupped his hand between Minhyuk’s legs, and he was rock-hard inside those tight jeans, hot and a few touches away from a lot of trouble.</p><p>“Hey,” Hyunwoo said gently. “I won’t let you get into trouble.” And he sank to his knees.</p><p>Minhyuk let out a little sob and then squeezed his eyes shut, threw his head back and hung onto Hyunwoo’s shoulders so tight his knuckles turned white. Hyunwoo had almost forgotten how big and strong his hands were.</p><p>It had been a while since Hyunwoo had done this. He’d forgotten how much he liked it. He was careful as he unzipped Minhyuk’s jeans, because he was so hard. Last time, he hadn’t really had the chance to appreciate Minhyuk’s thighs, all lean muscle, and he turned his head, kissing the smooth, delicate skin inside of them as he worked fabric out of the way. Minhyuk whimpered, and then -</p><p>Well, all the jokes about men with big hands and big feet weren’t unfounded. Hyunwoo had a brief flashback to the practice room floor, of Minhyuk inside him. </p><p>“Has there been anyone else besides me?” he asked, not out of jealousy but practicality.</p><p>“No, hyung,” Minhyuk panted.</p><p>“Okay,” Hyunwoo said, and swallowed him down.</p><p>Minhyuk let out a muffled yell before he cut himself off. </p><p>Hyunwoo had missed this, the musk and bitterness of another man, the heaviness of male flesh on his tongue. He listened to Minhyuk pant and gasp and plead above him, and he sucked and licked, and he enjoyed himself. He kept one hand on Minhyuk’s hip, pinning him against the wall and keeping him upright, but he let his other hand roam, exploring the lovely expanse of skin beneath Minhyuk’s shirt, across his belly and up his ribs, along his chest and back down to the crease of his thigh, the firm curve of his ass, the delicate little nub of his nipple that made him almost scream and then come, pulsing hot bitterness that Hyunwoo swallowed down greedily.</p><p>Minhyuk’s thighs trembled and his knees buckled but Hyunwoo kept him upright, and when it was done, he fixed Minhyuk’s clothes and held him till he recovered.</p><p>“Hyung,” Minhyuk panted. “You -”</p><p>“Are you feeling better?”</p><p>“You did that just to make me feel better?”</p><p>“Not just to make you feel better.”</p><p>“Do you need me to -?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” Hyunwoo said. He’d stop by the bathroom and take care of himself quickly and efficiently; rooming with six other men had taught him how.</p><p>Minhyuk buried his face against Hyunwoo’s chest. “Hyung. I’m sorry. I swear I’m not like this. I’m just -”</p><p>“I know,” Hyunwoo said quietly. “Your life is crazy right now. You should get back to your team.”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded.</p><p>“You really did look great out there. And by great I also mean hot.”</p><p>Minhyuk pulled back and smiled up at him, and there were those dimples. “Thanks, hyung.”</p><p>He unlocked the door and slipped out.</p><p>Hyunwoo sighed, counted to ten, counted to ten again, and then stepped out. He had business to take care of and another friend to be supportive of.</p><hr/><p>As the next comeback approached, Hyunwoo had to push thoughts of Minhyuk to the back of his mind, because he had to focus, couldn’t afford to be distracted by thoughts of smooth golden skin and rolling hips, sleek muscle and gentle warmth, tangy sweat and burning heat.</p><p>So he was surprised when he was headed backstage after an adrenaline-fueled performance of their new comeback single and saw familiar movement in the crowded hallway. He turned, spotted a slender figure in black jeans and a t-shirt.</p><p>“Minhyuk-ah?”</p><p>His own teammate turned to him, puzzled, but he shook his head, and then Minhyuk turned to him and smiled, bright and dimpled.</p><p>“Sunbae!”</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Hyunwoo kept his voice low.</p><p>Minhyuk favored him with one of those bright, dimpled smiles. “Just here supporting a friend.”</p><p>It was a totally innocuous phrase and also probably true, but Hyunwoo felt a frisson of heat lick under his skin that was unrelated to how hard he’d just been dancing.</p><p>“That’s very kind of you. It’s good to see you here.” Hyunwoo inclined his head politely.</p><p>He glimpsed a boy from another team he knew - his own teammate Minhyuk was friends with a boy on that team - who was in a fancy stage costume. The boy called out to Minhyuk, who nodded his acknowledgement, and then the boy acknowledged Hyunwoo as sunbae, and he went on his way.</p><p>“Your new single is amazing,” Minhyuk said, his eyes bright. “The choreo is killer. And that chest isolation is - wow. You should teach me sometime.”</p><p>Hyunwoo said, “I have a few minutes, if you like.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded. “If we could find somewhere with a mirror.” He shed his mic and battery pack and passed them off to one of his staff, grabbed his phone from them so he could be found if needed, and ducked away with Minhyuk.</p><p>Somewhere with a mirror ended up being a tiny disused dressing room that was barely big enough for one person, let alone two. Minhyuk had the song on his phone, and he cued it up, listened to the intro. Hyunwoo showed him how to stand, which muscles to lock, which to relax, how to make his chest move without vibrating the rest of his body, and it was like that first night in the practice room, the two of them relaxed, having fun.</p><p>The strange tension from their last encounter was gone, and Hyunwoo was glad, but he was also sure this encounter would be nothing more than a dance lesson.</p><p>Minhyuk turned on the music. “Okay, let me try it. Like this?”</p><p>Hyunwoo watched him carefully. “Tighten your arms but loosen your shoulders.”</p><p>Minhyuk started the song again. “All right.”</p><p>“Almost.” Hyunwoo frowned, trying to think of another way to explain it.</p><p>Minhyuk said, “Can you show me again?”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded. He restarted the song and didn’t even have to count in his head anymore, could just feel the music in his bones. And then he saw the way Minhyuk was looking at him, his eyes wide and dark.</p><p>“Hyung,” he said, his voice a little husky, “can I touch you? If I can feel what your muscles are doing -”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded, and Minhyuk reached out, slid his hand into the open front of Hyunwoo’s jumpsuit. Sure, having his jumpsuit unzipped almost all the way down to his belt was supposed to be masculine and sexy, but he hadn’t appreciated quite how sexy it would be until Minhyuk’s hand was on him and sliding up his chest and -</p><p>He curled his hand around Minhyuk’s wrist. “Can I kiss you? I want to kiss you.”</p><p>Minhyuk’s answer was to crowd close and press his mouth to Hyunwoo’s. Both his hands were in Hyunwoo’s jumpsuit and sliding over his skin and Hyunwoo was all too aware of the fact that his costume had too many belts and buckles.</p><p>The kiss turned frantic and heated, twining tongues and nipping teeth. Hyunwoo curled one hand around the back of Minhyuk’s neck, wrapped his arm around Minhyuk’s waist to drag him in close. Minhyuk ducked his head and licked his way up Hyunwoo’s throat, sucked at his pulse point like he was tasting how Hyunwoo’s heart was racing. </p><p>“Don’t worry, I won’t leave a mark,” he breathed, and he circled one of Hyunwoo’s nipples with his thumb. </p><p>Hyunwoo’s pulse surged, and he arched against Minhyuk, desperate for friction and pressure. Minhyuk hummed against his skin and rolled his hips in answer.</p><p>Hyunwoo cursed and tried to unfasten his own belt. Minhyuk’s hands were steadier, more sure, as he unbuckled the belt and unzipped the jumpsuit the rest of the way, and then he unfastened his own jeans, and he was just as hard as Hyunwoo.</p><p>“Can’t make a mess,” Hyunwoo panted. </p><p>“Don’t worry,” Minhyuk said again. “I came prepared.”</p><p>“Prepared?” Hyunwoo echoed, confused. </p><p>But then Minhyuk was grasping both of them in his big warm hand and stroking both of them together and Hyunwoo’s eyes slipped closed as he thrust into that tight hot grip. Their hard slick cocks slipped and slid against each other in a delicious blend of smoothness and friction, and Minhyuk kept a gentle but firm grip on them, stroking and caressing, thrusting in counterpoint to Hyunwoo’s rhythm. </p><p>“Feels so good,” Minhyuk panted. </p><p>Hyunwoo threw his head back and thrust faster. </p><p>Minhyuk sped up his strokes, and he leaned in, teeth grazing Hyunwoo’s throat, his other hand sliding across Hyunwoo’s chest. This time he stroked over Hyunwoo’s nipple with his palm, and Hyunwoo’s breath caught in his throat. </p><p>“I remember,” Minhyuk murmured against Hyunwoo’s skin. “You liked this. When I was inside you.”</p><p>He ducked his head and licked Hyunwoo’s nipple, and Hyunwoo whined in the back of his throat, low and needy, thrusting against Minhyuk’s cock. </p><p>“Will you like this?” Minhyuk asked, and bit down lightly. </p><p>Hyunwoo came hard, spurting hotly against Minhyuk’s palm. Minhyuk caught the slick and used it to lube himself, finish himself with a few quick strokes, and then he was coming into his own hand, eyes shut tight, biting his lip, soundless. </p><p>When they’d both regained their balance, Minhyuk had a packet of wet wipes in his pocket, which he used to clean them up. </p><p>“When you said you were prepared, you meant it,” Hyunwoo murmured, still panting. </p><p>“I try my best, hyung.” Minhyuk was the one to straighten up their clothes, though his hands lingered on Hyunwoo’s chest longer than was strictly necessary. He was smiling, his gaze veiled beneath his lashes. “You looked really great out there today.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Hyunwoo said. Fans were probably pouring comments all over social media about how hot Hyunwoo and his teammates looked, how sexy, all kinds of <em> daddy step on me, </em>but none of it would compare to how Minhyuk was looking at him right now. </p><p>He looked Minhyuk up and down. “How are you doing? When I saw you a few months ago, things were - crazy. For you.”</p><p>Minhyuk’s smile brightened. “Things are better now. Much better. We’ll be releasing our first full-length album next year, going on a world tour. We’ll be having our second concert later this year.”</p><p>Hyunwoo smiled at him, felt something warm blossom in his chest. “I’m glad for you, I really am.”</p><p>Minhyuk darted in, pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Hyunwoo’s mouth, the gesture brief but affectionate and somehow ten times better than the filthy slide of tongues earlier. “Everything’s going to be all light,” he said, in English. “I have to go now.”</p><p>“Don’t you mean ‘all right’?” Hyunwoo asked.</p><p>Minhyuk pulled open the door. “Thanks for the dance tutorial, sunbae. See you around.” And he vanished into the hallway.</p><p>Hyunwoo remained leaning against the little dressing room table, his heart still beating a little too fast, and felt strangely up-beat and cheerful, and not just because of a pretty spectacular orgasm.</p><hr/><p>Hyunwoo’s team was busy pretty much all the time, and it sounded like Minhyuk’s team was about to be very busy as well despite not having any formal comeback promotions. When he heard that Astro’s dance line had done the opening number for one of the fall festival shows, he was curious, because he’d liked what they’d done for their music video, and he thought that was a good sign, that the dance line had made an impact from their performance in the music video.</p><p>He watched the performance, and he knew the fans were probably going wild over just how ‘rude’ it was, but he could admire the talent and hard work that went into it. On the first watch, he felt pretty smug about it, because he knew firsthand just what Minhyuk’s sexy hips felt like firsthand when they were thrusting. But on second watch, he appreciated the grace and power in Minhyuk’s movements, his flow and his extensions, and also that really beautiful leap straight into a front flip that landed strong and masculine and full of swagger. Perhaps his favorite part of Minhyuk dancing, though, was his hands. The best dancers danced all the way through to their fingertips, and Minhyuk had big, strong, long-fingered hands that looked delicate and graceful when he danced.</p><p>The very best moment in the choreography, though, was brief, Minhyuk posed with his hands near his face, because he was smiling.</p><p>Some very dedicated Rocky fan had captured the moment in a photograph. </p><p>Hyunwoo saved the picture to his phone and, rather without thinking, texted it to Minhyuk with the message, <em> You looked really great out there today, </em> and added a line from Minhyuk’s most recent song, <em> It’s you. </em></p><p>Hyunwoo was a little disappointed that there was no reply.</p><p>But then his team was headed to America for the Jingle Ball tour, and he had other things to think about, like protecting his team in the much more permissive party atmosphere in America where they were all allowed to drink and where idols were seen as celebrities but not as role models.</p><p>After the American tour it was back to Korea for the festival and award show season. Performing on award shows meant bringing their A-game on a whole new level. They were performing for massive audiences, and also in front of their peers. This was their chance to shine for millions more television viewers than usual, to show why they deserved to be there. Tradition dictated that their performance combine the two singles they’d promoted this year. Jealousy was a chill R&amp;B track where Shoot Out had been a hard-hitting hip-hop track. How to combine the two? Well, the visual concept for Jealousy had been a lot of bondage gear, so.</p><p>Post-apocalyptic. Men in chains, to go with the sort of prisoner theme from the Shoot Out MV. They’d spice it up with Jooheon’s rap solo in the beginning, split into subunits for some snappier dancing, have backup dancers for a more dramatic stage presence.</p><p>It took a lot of rehearsal. The performance would demand everything of them.</p><p>Even after, Hyunwoo was still burning with adrenaline, and he’d be hopped up and energetic all the way back to the dressing room, where he’d have to clean up and change back into his nice suit and do his best to be attentive and cheerful through the rest of the award ceremony and show.</p><p>Half an hour later, Hyunwoo’s adrenaline had long since fizzled out, and he was doing his best to concentrate on the other performances. As a performer, he was always interested in how his colleagues made artistic choices, the work they put into their stages. Also he was aware that cameramen roamed the crowd, looking to film reactions to performances. A lot of times those reactions could be taken out of context, used to fuel rumors of rivalries - or friendships or romances - between groups or idols, so Hyunwoo had to be careful.</p><p>But then he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and he was curious.</p><p>Were his teammates trading silly memes again? Changkyun was poking at his phone on the sly.</p><p>Only it was a text message from Minhyuk. Not his teammate Minhyuk, but - Rocky Minhyuk, whose name was saved in Hyunwoo’s phone with a little purple heart because purple was his team’s color, not because of anything else.</p><p>The message was a screencap of the performance earlier tonight, where Hyunwoo was standing in the middle of the Shoot Out formation right at the beginning of the song.</p><p>The message accompanying the image was, <em> You looked really great out there today. </em></p><p>There were the three blinking dots that meant Minhyuk was typing more, and then, <em> Why aren’t you talking about Shownu right now? ;), </em>which was a riff off of a line from one of Hyunwoo’s team’s songs and could have been very cheesy but was kind of clever and made him smile. </p><p>Hyunwoo wasn’t sure what to reply, but he looked at that text message a thousand times more in the days that followed, and at least once a day after that, and he thought that maybe the little purple heart might mean something else beyond Minhyuk’s team color after all.</p><hr/><p>Hyunwoo was standing with his team and shivering after filming a pretty spectacular dance break in a pool of water when his phone buzzed with a notification. He’d created a lowkey fan account (NunuRaki223) so he could track Astro’s social media without using his team’s official account and accidentally starting some kind of social media incident, and now he could keep track of fancams and the best photos from fansites and also get news about comebacks and the like.</p><p>He’d seen footage from Astro’s concert, and he and Minhyuk had traded commentary back and forth about the performances. He’d appreciated Minhyuk’s solo performance, and also offered some professional feedback about the numbers that Minhyuk had choreographed (his spin on With You was truly impressive but Hyunwoo liked the artistry of Butterfly).</p><p>Minhyuk had watched fancams from the Jingle Ball performances and liked the intro Hyunwoo and his team had more or less improvised one day. </p><p>They’d developed a casual but steady text message relationship, mostly about dance and music.</p><p>Hyunwoo heard Minhyuk had been on Dance War and he’d gone back and watched it, masked versions only, but identified Minhyuk immediately because he knew how Minhyuk moved, and he’d spammed Minhyuk with the text message equivalent of a live tweet as he watched all the episodes on YouTube, and then he’d gone on a rant about the injustice of Minhyuk getting second place. </p><p>Minhyuk, of course, had responded with grace. And a live tweet of some of Hyunwoo’s mukbang videos. </p><p>So Hyunwoo got all kinds of notifications about Minyuk. </p><p>And now this, an announcement about Astro’s first full length album.</p><p>All Light.</p><p>Hyunwoo remembered Minhyuk scampering out of the dressing room after their last in-person encounter a few months ago - was it only three months ago? - and how he’d said <em> Everything’s going to be all light. </em></p><p>Hyunwoo had assumed it was a mispronunciation on his part, because Minhyuk wasn’t the best English speaker on his team.</p><p>But it had been a spoiler.</p><p>Hyunwoo laughed.</p><p>“What’s so funny?” Hyungwon asked.</p><p>“I’m cold,” Hoseok said in a mournful voice.</p><p>Hyunwoo tucked his phone away and found a towel, put it around Hoseok’s shoulders. “Nothing you’d find funny,” he said.</p><p>Hoseok smiled at him. “Thanks, dad.”</p><p>Kihyun tucked a towel around Jooheon.</p><p>“Thanks, mom,” Jooheon said.</p><p>Kihyun swatted at him.</p><p>Jooheon said, “Sorry, mom,” and ducked away, laughing.</p><hr/><p>Hyunwoo watched all of the teaser videos for Minhyuk’s new music video - bright, fancy floral affairs set to classical music, the kind of elegant, soft thing his team could never pull off.</p><p>He watched the music video when it dropped, and it was a work of art. The choreography was elegant, airy and light to match the music, but also sexy. Minhyuk’s team’s maknae, Sanha, had come of age finally.</p><p>And then there was the moment that fans were probably going wild over, would go wild over every time the team performed, when Minhyuk linked in with Eunwoo and Eunwoo said, low and sultry, <em> Such a good night. </em></p><p>It was like Hyunwoo’s team’s moment from the song that had originally been Hoseok and Hyungwon’s sub-unit stage, From Zero. Total fan-service. During concerts they’d pick a random pair to perform just that moment for the fans. Minhyuk’s team would probably be doing the same going forward.</p><p>Even though Hyunwoo and his team were busy gearing up for their next comeback, he made sure to stay in touch with Minhyuk, send him feedback about the music video, the comeback stage (with a beautiful ballad as the B-side), the choreo video, and the live stages that followed. Comeback promotions were time-consuming, and all Minhyuk managed were short responses, usually emojis and a few backstage selcas.</p><p>They didn’t call each other. Hyunwoo wasn’t sure what he’d say if Minhyuk did call him.</p><p>And then Minhyuk’s team got a win. Their first win. Hyunwoo remembered how overwhelmed he’d been when his team got their first win. It had taken them two years and a whole lot of struggle, and that initial forced eight-month hiatus had affected them profoundly. Minhyuk’s team taking a forced one-year hiatus and almost facing disbandment had done a number on them; Hyunwoo had seen what it had done to them firsthand.</p><p>For them to bounce back so quickly with a win was probably so emotional for them, and a huge sign of love from their fans.</p><p>Hyunwoo sent a message of congratulations as soon as he saw the news.</p><p>And then he had an idea.</p><p>It took a lot more awkward finagling than he’d have liked, asking around and calling in small favors, but he found out where Minhyuk’s dorm was, and he found out when he had a break in his schedule.</p><p>So Hyunwoo ducked out of his own dorm with some carefully homemade kimbap (he’d had to call his mother for help and dodge a lot of questions from Kihyun and Hyungwon and Changkyun and his own Minhyuk while he cooked) and went and stood on the street below Minhyuk’s dorm building.</p><p>And, for the first time, he called.</p><p>“Hyung?” Minhyuk asked. </p><p>“Hi. Are you busy right now?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“I thought you might be celebrating your big win with your teammates.”</p><p>“They’re all passed out drunk, but you know me.”</p><p>Right. Minhyuk didn’t really drink. But Sanha was old enough to drink now, wasn’t he?</p><p>“Come outside,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“Outside?” Minhyuk echoed. “Are you outside my dorm right now?”</p><p>“I figured I’d congratulate you on your first win.”</p><p>“I’ll be right there.” </p><p>The call ended, and a couple of minutes later, Minhyuk emerged from the building wearing a hoodie and jeans and shivering a little.</p><p>“Hyung! What are you doing here?” He peered at Hyunwoo and smiled.</p><p>“Come on,” Hyunwoo said. “Let’s go celebrate. Let’s get hot drinks from a convenience store and eat and then we can do whatever you want to do.”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded and stepped closer. “All right.”</p><p>“Where’s the nearest convenience store? I don’t really know this neighborhood.” Hyunwoo had the kimbap in neat little plastic containers that looked just like convenience store containers in his backpack.</p><p>“There’s one over this way.” Minhyuk headed down the sidewalk.</p><p>Hyunwoo fell into step beside him, and they walked in companionable silence.</p><p>Once they reached a brightly-lit convenience store, Hyunwoo paused at the door. “What kind of hot drink do you want? Tea? Chocolate? I know you usually like iced tea but you don’t like coffee, so.”</p><p>Minhyuk looked surprised. It occurred to Hyunwoo that they’d never talked about anything besides dancing, Hyunwoo’s mukbang, and their respective music, and that anything else that Hyunwoo knew about Minhyuk he knew from all the SNS fan accounts he followed. He hoped he wasn’t blushing and that if he was, Minhyuk would think it was from the cold.</p><p>“Hot chocolate is good,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded and headed into the store. An older woman was running the counter. This late at night she’d probably take Hyunwoo for a university student. He nodded politely at her, bought a couple of large and steaming hot cocoas, added whipped cream for good measure, and then paused just inside the door to dig the kimbap out of his backpack. He had the plastic containers in a recyclable shopping bag.</p><p>Minhyuk was sitting at one of the little tables, hands jammed into his hoodie front pocket. Hyunwoo handed him the hot cocoa, then placed the containers of kimbap on the table between them.</p><p>“You like kimbap, right?”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded. “My mom makes the best kimbap.”</p><p>“Our mothers always do,” Hyunwoo said wisely. He handed Minhyuk a pair of chopsticks, and then he took a fortifying sip of hot cocoa to stave off the winter chill.</p><p>It made his breath steam the air.</p><p>He did his best not to make it too obvious that he was watching closely as Minhyuk took his first bite of kimbap.</p><p>“Mmm. This is really good. Better than the kimbap they usually sell.” Minhyuk smiled and took another bite.</p><p>“Ah - I made it myself,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>Minhyuk blinked. “Really?”</p><p>“If you said it was bad I was going to say I bought it,” Hyunwoo admitted.</p><p>Minhyuk took another bite of kimbap, chewed slowly. “You made this.”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded and said, “Congratulations on your first win.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Minhyuk lowered his gaze and ate another piece of kimbap. He added, “I’m not going to cry.” But there was a bit of a hitch in his voice.</p><p>“I understand,” Hyunwoo said. “Our first win was special. Everyone’s first win means a lot. It means more when it comes after extra struggle though, yes?”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded, and they ate quietly.</p><p>The kimbap was really good. Hyunwoo’s mother would have been really proud of him. </p><p>When the kimbap was finished, they sat sipping their hot cocoa.</p><p>Hyunwoo said, “The one killing part. With you and Eunwoo-ssi. <em> Such a good night.” </em></p><p>Minhyuk peered at Hyunwoo from beneath his lashes, and Hyunwoo knew that look, felt a spark of heat in his veins. </p><p>Minhyuk said, “I choreographed that. The fans all imagine they’re me, of course.”</p><p>Hyunwoo said, “I’m sure plenty of fans imagine they’re Eunwoo-ssi.”</p><p>Minhyuk said, “Who do you imagine you are?”</p><p>Hyunwoo said, “I have fond memories of being in Eunwoo-ssi’s place. Not <em> all night, </em>but several times. Good times.” He drained the last of his hot cocoa and set the cup down. Minhyuk, he noticed, was already finished with his hot cocoa. “What would you like to do for your celebration? Since it’s your big night. I know you don’t like to drink. We could dance again, or go to a noraebang and sing. I know you’re a really good singer. We could go to an arcade and I could try to win you a stuffed animal from a claw machine, or -”</p><p>Minhyuk stood up. “Come on. I know what I want to do.”</p><p>They threw away the cups and plastic container, and Hyunwoo put the shopping bag back in his backpack, and he followed Minhyuk down the street. Hyunwoo wasn’t overly fond of surprises, but this was Minhyuk’s celebration, and he got to choose what they did.</p><p>Minhyuk turned sharply, down a dark alley. Some kind of shortcut?</p><p>Hyunwoo followed.</p><p>Only Minhyuk spun and grabbed Hyunwoo and dragged him into the shadows and pinned him against the wall and kissed him.</p><p>It was hot and open-mouthed, hungry. Minhyuk had Hyunwoo’s wrists pinned above his head with one hand, the other curled possessively at his hip.</p><p>When they finally had to part for air, Minhyuk said, “I want to suck you off.”</p><p>Hyunwoo’s pulse spiked. “Really? But - that’s not much of a celebration for you, is it?”</p><p>Minhyuk tilted his head. His dark eyes gleamed. “Well, you could push me to my knees and grab my hair and fuck my mouth, and then that might be more fun for you, although it could still be fun for me, depending on my mood.”</p><p>Hyunwoo swallowed hard, startled by the obscenities coming out of Minhyuk’s mouth but also turned on by his boldness.</p><p>Minhyuk smirked. “However, I remember what it was like backstage last year, and I want to take my time, suck you and lick you and taste you and feel you shake apart and then drink you down, just like you did to me -”</p><p>Hyunwoo silenced him with a kiss, sure his heart would beat out of his chest if Minhyuk kept on talking, his voice deep with desire.</p><p>Then he pulled back, spoke softly. “Anything you want. But - not here. You deserve better than this.”</p><p>A cold, filthy, dark and potentially dangerous alley.</p><p>“My dorm is too far away,” Hyunwoo said. “My company or your company is too dangerous. Your dorm…?”</p><p>“There’s a love motel nearby,” Minhyuk said, and Hyunwoo nodded frantically.</p><p>Minhyuk had caps and masks for both of them.</p><p>The clerk only glanced at them, just handed them a keycard after Hyunwoo paid in cash.</p><p>Hyunwoo barely had the door open before they’d kicked off their shoes and Minhyuk had him pinned against the wall again and was peeling him out of his cap and mask and hoodie.</p><p>The backpack hit the floor with a thump, and Minhyuk resumed kissing Hyunwoo thoroughly. He pinned Hyunwoo’s wrists above his head again, and Hyunwoo let him, sank against the wall and let himself be kissed, let himself arch into Minhyuk’s touch as Minhyuk ran a possessive hand across Hyunwoo’s chest, down his torso, to his waist. He nipped at Hyunwoo’s mouth, and Hyunwoo parted his lips, let Minhyuk lick his way inside at the same time as he worked Hyunwoo’s shirt free of his jeans.</p><p>Minhyuk’s hand against the bare skin of Hyunwoo’s hip was like a branding iron, his touch electrifying. He smoothed his thumb in little circles around the soft skin in the hollow of Hyunwoo’s hip, just like Hyunwoo had done for him, and suddenly Hyunwoo understood why it had been such a damn turn on. Minhyuk kissed along Hyunwoo’s jaw to a spot behind his ear that made him see sparks, and his hand slid further under Hyunwoo’s shirt, stroking the delicate skin on his belly, thumb circling his navel, daring to dip below the button of his jeans, and Hyunwoo was hard. If only Minhyuk reached a little lower -</p><p>But Minhyuk started kissing down Hyunwoo’s throat, nibbling and licking even as he slid his hand higher up Hyunwoo’s chest.</p><p>Hyunwoo whimpered when Minhyuk flicked a fingertip lightly over one of Hyunwoo’s tight nipples.</p><p>“Yeah, this is exactly what I want,” Minhyuk said. “Stay still, and don’t come till I let you.”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded frantically, and Minhyuk reached down, tugged the hem of Hyunwoo’s shirt up.</p><p>“Keep this out of the way for me, all right?” Minhyuk said, and all Hyunwoo could do was catch the fabric in his teeth, effectively gagged.</p><p>Minhyuk ducked his head and nipped and licked his way along Hyunwoo’s collarbones, both hands at Hyunwoo’s waist, though Hyunwoo knew better than to reach out and touch Minhyuk, just used his hands to keep himself upright against the wall.</p><p>Hyunwoo’s cock was heavy and throbbing in his jeans as Minhyuk kissed and licked his way down Hyunwoo’s chest, deliberately avoiding his nipples. When Hyunwoo looked down, Minhyuk was sliding down to his knees, just like he did when he was dancing, controlling the slide with his perfect lean thighs. Hyunwoo moaned. Minhyuk looked up at him and smirked, ran his hands up Hyunwoo’s thighs, stopping just at the juncture of his legs, and Hyunwoo whimpered again.</p><p>“I hope you last a long time,” Minhyuk murmured, leaning in and resting his cheek against the inside of Hyunwoo’s thigh.</p><p>He tilted his head ever so slightly, looking up at Hyunwoo, his expression almost coy.</p><p>Then he reached up and popped the button on Hyunwoo’s jeans.</p><p>Minhyuk took his time peeling Hyunwoo’s jeans and boxers down his thighs.</p><p>Hyunwoo hissed when the motel room’s cold air hit his overheated flesh, but then Minhyuk rose up with another deliberate slide of his knees, just like dancing, and he really was enjoying this, wasn’t he? </p><p>Hyunwoo managed to gasp out, “There hasn’t been anyone else besides you.”</p><p>Minhyuk looked up at him and said, “I know.” Then he leaned in and swirled his tongue around the head of Hyunwoo’s cock.</p><p>Hyunwoo sobbed and curled his hands into fists.</p><p>Minhyuk pinned Hyunwoo’s hips to the wall with his forearm, curled his other hand around Hyunwoo’s cock, and then he did his best to make Hyunwoo fall apart.</p><p>His mouth was hot and slick and perfect, his lips soft but forming perfect tight suction as he bobbed up and down Hyunwoo’s length, stroking with his hand. When he fluttered his tongue against the underside of the head, Hyunwoo bit back a scream, and then Minhyuk was licking and sucking again, cheeks hollow. </p><p>He pulled off with a filthy slurp and popping sound, and he looked up at Hyunwoo, gaze hooded, pumping with his fist, swiping his thumb over the head and spreading the slickness of precome with the wetness from his mouth.</p><p>“You liking it so far?”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded frantically.</p><p>“You wanna come?”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded again.</p><p>“Not yet,” Minhyuk said, and he lowered his head again.</p><p>Sometimes Minhyuk would suck him down so far Hyunwoo was worried he’d choke, but then Minhyuk would literally <em> swallow </em> and Hyunwoo would almost come, but then Minhyuk would back off, tongue fluttering against the head while he stroked with his clever fingers, and <em> then </em> Minhyuk would hollow out his cheeks and bob up and down and Hyunwoo would remember how Minhyuk had spoken so brazenly about Hyunwoo fucking his mouth, only Minhyuk’s arm across Hyunwoo’s hips was like an iron band and he couldn’t move and he wanted to come so bad and he was <em> so hard </em> and -</p><p>Minhyuk pulled back, panting, his lips red and plump and shining.</p><p>“You ready?”</p><p>All Hyunwoo could do was whimper.</p><p>Minhyuk grinned - and swallowed him down to the root.</p><p>The arm across Hyunwoo’s hips released, and Hyunwoo thrust once, twice, and came.</p><p>Minhyuk swallowed again and again, and Hyunwoo’s knees gave out.</p><p>When Hyunwoo was finally lucid again and his vision was no longer dancing with sparks, he was lying on the bed, Minhyuk curled beside him.</p><p>“You all right?” Minhyuk asked.</p><p>“Pretty sure I’m the best I’ve ever been,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>Minhyuk smiled, pleased.</p><p>Hyunwoo studied him. Despite all that had just happened, Minhyuk looked sweet and happy and innocent, somehow.</p><p>“Does it feel good, your first win?”</p><p>“So good,” Minhyuk said. He flopped onto his back, gazing at nothing. “It still doesn’t quite feel real.”</p><p>“It’s real,” Hyunwoo assured him. Then he said, “Did you get what you wanted for your celebration?”</p><p>Minhyuk turned his head to look at Hyunwoo. After a long moment, he said, “Yeah, I did. What about you? Did you get what you wanted tonight? What <em> did </em> you want tonight?”</p><p>Hyunwoo said, rather without thinking, because he was still coming down from a pretty spectacular orgasm, “To be with you.”</p><p>Minhyuk looked at him wordlessly for another long moment. And then he snuggled closer. Hyunwoo slung an arm over him, and they lay there, sharing warmth and dozing.</p><p>Eventually Hyunwoo said, “I only paid for six hours. We’d better go soon.”</p><p>Minhyuk made a small sound of discontent but nodded. “Maybe one day we’ll get all night, hm?”</p><p>Hyunwoo hummed the chorus of the song, and Minhyuk laughed and shoved at him half-heartedly.</p><p>They cleaned up and dressed and fixed their masks back in place, and together they slipped out of the hotel. Once they were a safe distance away, they could remove their masks. Hyunwoo walked Minhyuk back to his dorm.</p><p>“What’s your favorite fruit?” Hyunwoo asked.</p><p>“Are you going to bring me a bushel or something the next time we get a win?” Minhyuk asked.</p><p>Hyunwoo shrugged. “Just curious.”</p><p>“Peaches,” Minhyuk said. “You?”</p><p>“I don’t I have a favorite. I like all kinds.”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded. He paused outside a tall apartment building. “This is me.”</p><p>“All right. Congratulations again on your first win.”</p><p>“Thank you for the kimbap,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>Hyunwoo smiled. “Any time.”</p><p>Minhyuk put in the code for the main door, paused and looked back at him.</p><p>Hyunwoo said, “Call me,” and made the universal signal for a phone call, and Minhyuk rolled his eyes at the reference to his team’s song, but he also laughed, and Hyunwoo smiled.</p><p>“Go inside before you get cold,” Hyunwoo said, and Minhyuk nodded and hurried inside.</p><p>A few moments later, Hyunwoo received a text message.</p><p>
  <em> Safe and warm inside my dorm. The others didn’t even notice I was gone. Thank you. </em>
</p><p><em> Thank you too, </em> Hyunwoo replied. He turned and headed back to his own dorm before his teammates noticed he was gone.</p><p>On the train home, he changed Minhyuk’s name in his phone to two emojis, a peach and a purple heart. He knew he ought to tell his teammates and his manager about his relationship with Minhyuk, but he wanted to keep it to himself, at least for a little longer, enjoy the warmth and happiness it brought him free of the stress and restrictions from management and teasing and curiosity and inevitable criticism from his teammates, because Minhyuk was so much younger.</p><p>Hyunwoo closed his eyes and hugged his backpack and missed Minhyuk already. The contact in his phone would never have a picture even though they’d taken pictures together before, and he wished -</p><p>There was no point in wishing. He’d enjoy what he’d had and be grateful for anything more he could get.</p><hr/><p>Minhyuk called him sometimes, but it was always brief. </p><p>
  <em> Hey, hyung. You looked really great on stage today. </em>
</p><p>Neither of them were particularly verbose people during interviews or on variety shows, let alone on the phone. But hearing Minhyuk’s voice, only briefly, in snippets just meant for him, made Hyunwoo feel good.</p><p>He’d call back when he had a moment here and there.</p><p>
  <em> Minhyuk-ah, I saw that dance practice video you posted. That turn was amazing. </em>
</p><p>They continued to exchange text messages frequently, though, usually about each other’s dancing and music, but also about each other’s schedules and ISAC performances and also each other’s teammates. </p><p>Hyunwoo could have learned a lot about Minhyuk by lurking on fansites and fan accounts on SNS - and he did learn a lot - but he preferred to learn from Minhyuk himself. Where Minhyuk was less verbose than his teammates during interviews, he was willing to tell Hyunwoo about his taekwondo adventures growing up (Hyunwoo’s own childhood foray into taekwondo was much shorter and more embarrassing), and he asked about Hyunwoo’s swimming years.</p><p>For Minhyuk’s birthday, Hyunwoo sent him a pair of really nice sneakers that were stylish but also really good to dance in. Thanks to SNS fan accounts, Hyunwoo knew Minhyuk’s shoe size. The first time Hyunwoo saw a video of Minhyuk dancing and he was wearing the shoes, he was stupidly pleased. </p><p>When Hyunwoo’s team got a win during their comeback, Minhyuk sent him a stuffed alligator in congratulations. It had a little purple heart embroidered on its chest. Hyunwoo posed with the alligator and took a selca and sent it, and Minhyuk sent a smiley emoji in return. </p><p>For Hyunwoo’s birthday, Minhyuk sent him a very cute lunchbox set decorated with stars and moons and galaxies, complete with chopsticks, plastic containers, spoons, a little cup, and sauce bottles, for him to ostensibly use when he was eating on the go or even on a mukbang. </p><p>The next time Hyunwoo made lunch for himself, he made sure to pack it in the lunchbox, and when he had a Vlive mukbang, he made sure to show the lunchbox off to the camera. </p><p>Between Minhyuk’s team’s comeback and then world tour and Hyunwoo’s team’s comeback and then world tour and then Minhyuk’s team’s Japanese debut and then Hyunwoo’s team’s Japanese comeback and then their English single and American promos they barely got to see each other. Sometimes they glimpsed each other at music shows and managed to duck into a side room for some heated kisses.</p><p>When they had gaps in their schedules they sneaked away from their dorms and met up in love motels for a few hours of frantic coupling before they had to get back to their respective teams and hope they weren’t too marked up for the stylists to cover.</p><p>(Hyunwoo always let Minhyuk top. He was pretty sure Minhyuk thought he always liked to bottom, and they hadn’t really discussed switching roles, but if Minhyuk did want to switch, Hyunwoo wanted his first time to be at somewhere nicer than a love motel. Hyunwoo was starting to despair of them ever having the chance to go somewhere nicer than a love motel.)</p><p>Hyunwoo’s teammates eventually noticed that he was often messaging someone on his phone.</p><p>Naturally it was his own Minhyuk, the little menace, who got his hands on Hyunwoo’s phone one day.</p><p>“Who is it whose messages you always smile at?”</p><p>One minute Hyunwoo was asking about a special spring onion pancake recipe, the next his teammate had plucked his phone out of his hands and was poking through his chat history.</p><p>“Who is Peachy Purple Heart?” Lee Minhyuk waggled his eyebrows. “She must be pretty special for you to always smile at...cooking tips? Dance videos?”</p><p>Hyungwon hooked his chin over Lee Minhyuk’s shoulder and read. “Are you dating a mom fan?” Then he narrowed his eyes. </p><p>Hyunwoo sighed and took his phone back. “None of your business.” He scrolled back down to the most recent message and saw that Minhyuk had sent him a photo of a handwritten recipe - his mother’s recipe. He typed back, <em> Thank you. I will try it and let you know how it goes. </em></p><p>“But you’re dating someone?” Hyungwon asked.</p><p>“None of your business,” Hyunwoo said again.</p><p>“Well, as long as she’s good to you,” Jooheon said.</p><p>Kihyun said, “Don’t let her distract you from our schedule.”</p><p>“I’m not distracted from our schedule,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“Do you need to tell management?” Hoseok asked.</p><p>Hyunwoo probably should. He said, “When the time comes, I will.”</p><p>“When?” Changkyun held his gaze.</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded.</p><p>Hyungwon studied him for a long moment, and then he detached himself from Lee Minhyuk and drifted away.</p><hr/><p>Sometimes Minhyuk would send Hyunwoo a midi file with a simple melody and some sample lyrics and a message: <em> Please sing this and send it back to me? I want to know what it sounds like from someone who isn’t me or one of my teammates. </em></p><p>One time Hoseok walked in on Hyunwoo while he was hunkered down on his bunk and singing to his phone.</p><p>Hoseok leaned against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest, and waited till Hyunwoo was finished.</p><p>Once Hyunwoo locked his phone and set it aside, Hoseok said, “That sounds pretty good. You write that?”</p><p>“Ah, no. I’m just singing it, for a friend, so they know what it sounds like.”</p><p>Hoseok nodded knowingly. “Sometimes it helps, having an outside voice sing it.” He eyed Hyunwoo. “Your Peachy Purple Heart is a songwriter?”</p><p>“Among other things.”</p><p>It wasn’t a lie. Minhyuk’s position on his team was main dancer and lead rapper. Even though he had contributed vocals as far back as the team’s debut album, he was never listed as a sub-vocalist. </p><p>“Peachy Purple Heart isn’t trying to use you to get a start in the industry?” Hoseok asked.</p><p>“Definitely not,” Hyunwoo asked. </p><p>“Okay.” Hoseok straightened up. “You seem happier, these days. Whoever they are, I’m glad.”</p><p>Hyunwoo smiled. “Thank you.”</p><p>“I get why you’re hiding them, though.” Hoseok sprawled on his own bunk.</p><p>Hyunwoo, who’d been about to unlock his phone and send the audio file, paused. “Why?”</p><p>“Because Minhyuk and Hyungwon and Changkyun would torture them, and they deserve better than that.”</p><p>Hyunwoo winced. “Yeah. They do.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t try to torture them, though,” Hoseok said. </p><p>Hyunwoo patted his arm. “I know.”</p><hr/><p>When the Chuseok ISAC competition rolled around, Hyunwoo knew he’d have to be careful so he didn’t give himself away, not just with all the cameras around, but also with his teammates. Because Jooheon and Jinwoo were friends, and Minhyuk was also sort of friend with Jooheon, if their teams ended up seated close to each other for any reason, there was no reason they shouldn’t interact. Hyunwoo and Minhyuk had danced together before, were both main dancers, so why shouldn’t they talk? And Eunwoo and Hyungwon had done that special stage one time. </p><p>But they didn’t really end up competing in the same events at the same time, and Hyunwoo had to do his best to focus, and he really didn’t see Minhyuk all day, and he was both relieved and disappointed. He heard through the grapevine, though, that Minhyuk and his teammates did very well in their events.</p><p>Hyunwoo didn’t have a chance to congratulate Minhyuk in person, because he and his teammates had to catch a plane to their next concert overseas.</p><p>He finally had a break when the actual Chuseok holiday rolled around, and he got to go home and spend it with his family, which meant catching up on sleep, eating lots of his mother’s cooking, leaving offerings on graves, and then also sitting on the couch and watching the ISAC broadcast with his parents and answering his mother’s questions about the other idols as best as he could.</p><p>“Honestly, I don’t know as many of them as you think, because we don’t meet often,” he said.</p><p>“I love watching Cha Eunwoo’s dramas,” his mother said. “He’s so handsome. Have you ever met him?”</p><p>“A few times, at broadcast shows,” Hyunwoo said. “I’ve danced with one of his teammates so I know his teammate better.”</p><p>“Is he as handsome in person?”</p><p>“Eunwoo-ssi? Yes. He’s very nice. Very polite. He’s taller than me.” Hyunwoo had his phone in hand, because he planned on texting Minhyuk about the ssireum competition.</p><p>“Who are you texting?” his father asked.</p><p>“My friend,” Hyunwoo said. “I didn’t get to see him compete because I was in other events.”</p><p>“It’s good to see them bring back a traditional event like ssireum,” his father said.</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded. “Maybe next year I’ll compete in it.”</p><p>“Is your friend competing in the ssireum?” his father asked.</p><p>“Ah, yes. He’s part of Astro. In the pink shirts, with the black pants. His name is Rocky.”</p><p>“He’s a very small boy.”</p><p>“He’s not much shorter than me, in person. He’s strong.”</p><p>Jinwoo lost his first bout, but Minhyuk won quickly with a leg-lock trip. The judges were impressed that he had learned it fast, but Hyunwoo knew that he had previous martial arts experience.</p><p>Hyunwoo sent a congratulatory text, belated though it was. Bin won his match with a nice belly throw, and Hyunwoo’s father applauded.</p><p>For Astro’s second round, Jinwoo won easily, and then it was Minhyuk again. Minhyuk looked like he was struggling, nearly got pushed out of the ring, and then the other boy was about to throw him, and then -</p><p>“I can’t believe he did that!” Hyunwoo’s father cried.</p><p>Hyunwoo tapped out a message. <em> How did you do that? </em></p><p>A moment later Minhyuk replied, <em> I was losing and suddenly I was winning lol. </em></p><p>Hyunwoo was suddenly and inexplicably turned on. <em> Sometimes I forget how strong you are. </em></p><p>Minhyuk typed back, <em> My father was a competitive gymnast. I’m strong and flexible from many positions and angles. </em></p><p>Hyunwoo wished he was anywhere but sitting on a couch between his parents.</p><p>But he managed to sit still and trade texts with Minhyuk about various events and how Minhyuk’s teammates did in their wrestling bouts, and also how cute Minhyuk looked in his winner’s robe with his flower crown.</p><p>When his parents finally went to bed, Hyunwoo retreated to his room.</p><p>Minhyuk, he knew, was probably spending quality time with his younger brother, who he loved a lot and missed a lot while he was working, so instead of calling he sent a single message.</p><p>
  <em> Wish I could be with you for the holiday. </em>
</p><p>But would his parents be happy with him, if he brought Minhyuk home for the holiday? What would Minhyuk’s family think?</p><p>Hyunwoo and Minhyuk hadn’t been together in over a month, had barely seen each other in weeks. Hyunwoo was turning into some kind of pathetic fangirl, soothing his aching heart with pictures of Minhyuk from SNS and the fancafe (and if his teammates found out he’d been on another team’s fancafe there would probably be hell to pay, but everyone knew Kihyun was on Hyolyn’s fancafe, so whatever).</p><p>Minhyuk and Hyunwoo exchanged selcas now and again, because the selcas they sent to each other were different from the ones they took for their fans, but Hyunwoo missed<em> Minhyuk. </em></p><p>Which was silly, because they never really had much time together, and they weren’t really <em> together. </em>Apart from one meal they’d shared one time -</p><p>Hyunwoo closed his eyes and rolled onto his side and cuddled with his stuffed alligator and sighed.</p><p>He was grateful for what he had. He shouldn’t wish for more.</p><hr/><p>“Hyung, guess what?”</p><p>“You...are having a comeback soon?” Hyunwoo asked. He was surprised but pleased that Minhyuk had called him. He nudged the bedroom door shut with his foot for a modicum of privacy and then sprawled out on his bunk. </p><p>Changkyun, Jooheon, and Hoseok were in their private studios working on songs. Kihyun, Lee Minhyuk, and Hyungwon were having a loud and contentious FIFA Soccer tournament in the den. </p><p>“How did you know?” Minhyuk sounded a little disappointed. </p><p>“We’re having a comeback soon too, and we used to be on the same comeback cycle,” Hyunwoo said. He cleared his throat. “Sorry, should I have tried to guess wrong? Should I act more surprised?”</p><p>“No, it’s fine. But guess what else?”</p><p>“What else?” Hyunwoo asked dutifully. </p><p>“My song got accepted for the album. They’ll use it as the B-side for the comeback stage and let me choreograph it and everything.” Minhyuk sounded so excited, almost tripping over his words, his southern accent more prominent. </p><p>Hyunwoo knew what a huge achievement and honor that was. “Congratulations! I am very proud of you. Which song is it?”</p><p>“When the Wind Blows.”</p><p>“That’s a really good song.” Hyunwoo smiled. Already he was wondering - what special thing should he do to celebrate Minhyuk’s success? “Have you already started choreographing it?”</p><p>“I have some concepts I’ve been considering. I want to do something more theatrical, kind of like a scene from a musical.”</p><p>“That’ll be really cool, and different from what most other teams do,” Hyunwoo said. </p><p>“Do you want to hear the guide track? I sang it myself.”</p><p>“I’d love to hear it,” Hyunwoo said, and bit his lip, because that was a little too honest, but Minhyuk sounded excited as he promised to send it over.</p><p>“What’s the official date for your comeback?” Minhyuk asked.</p><p>“October twenty-eighth. You?”</p><p>“November twentieth. So we won’t be overlapping too badly. How long will you be doing promotions for?”</p><p>“Three weeks. We’ll be getting done right as you start.”</p><p>“I’d hate to compete against you,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>“Me too. We might be able to see each other, though,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“Maybe. That might be nice.” Minhyuk sighed. “But you’ll be busy with preparations, and then while you’re promoting I’ll be busy with preparations, and then I’ll be promoting, and then we’ll be doing our Japan tour while you’ll be doing the American holiday tour again, and then it’ll be the festival and holiday season again, and -”</p><p>“And we’ll find time, if we want,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“I want,” Minhyuk said, so softly Hyunwoo wasn’t sure he was meant to hear it.</p><p>And then there were voices in the background and Minhyuk said, “Be right there!” He sighed again. “I have to go. I’ll see you. I hope.”</p><p>“Take care. Work hard. Fighting! And congratulations again.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Minhyuk said. “Good luck to you too. Fighting!”</p><p>And the call ended.</p><p>Hyunwoo stared at his phone. What would he have to do to get enough time to just <em> be </em> with Minhyuk, long enough for a meal and a real conversation?</p><p>The door swung open.</p><p>“So you and Peachy Purple Heart actually talk to each other,” Hyungwon said.</p><p>Hyunwoo lifted his head. “Sometimes. We’re both very busy.” And about to get much busier.</p><p>“Tell them I said hi.” Hyungwon went to fetch something from off his bunk.</p><p>Hyunwoo dutifully typed a message into his phone.</p><p>Minhyuk replied surprisingly quickly.</p><p>Hyunwoo said, “They say hello back.”</p><p>Hyungwon smiled, pleased.</p><p>Hyunwoo peeled himself off his bunk, and he headed into the den. He rounded up the others, and they headed into the company together, where Jooheon, Changkyun, and Hoseok would meet them. It was time to buckle down for their next comeback.</p><hr/><p>Hyunwoo knew the rhythm of preparing for a new album, of recording, of learning choreography, of working out the concept, of getting into the mindset of inhabiting a new character in a new world. He appreciated the hard work that the company had gone to in creating a concept that would span multiple albums, and he was really excited for both the pre-release single and the actual title track and how both would contribute to the storyline that had been building for several years.</p><p>The build-up of energy and excitement between fans and the team as concept photos and teaser videos were released was almost palpable in the lead-up to the release, and the team needed it, because they were working nonstop to polish their comeback performance, which was three songs long for their comeback stage. Sleep was a luxury and meals were rare.</p><p>The song that Hoseok had written and Hyunwoo had helped choreograph for their tour subunit was part of the comeback stage, and the song had made it onto the album, and they’d had to rearrange the choreo for all seven of them and Hoseok had had to expand the song and rearrange the vocals for five singers plus two rappers.</p><p>He and the others were sprawled across the practice room floor, panting from a run-through of the very energetic choreography for their title song when Manager stepped into the room.</p><p>“Hoseok, come with me.”</p><p>Hoseok looked confused, but he nodded and stood up, shook out his limbs, and followed Manager out of the room.</p><p>“While he’s gone, let’s keep working,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>The others groaned but obeyed.</p><p>Hoseok was gone for a long time.</p><p>When he finally returned, he was pale, and he looked incredibly stressed out.</p><p>“Is everything all right?” Hyungwon asked.</p><p>Hoseok shook his head, but he said, “Let’s keep working.</p><p>Manager said, “Hyunwoo, come with me.”</p><p>Hyunwoo peeled away from the group and followed Manager out of the dance practice room and into a small side vocal practice room. </p><p>“Is everything all right?”</p><p>Manager held out a tablet computer. “Is it true?”</p><p>Hyunwoo scanned the email on the screen. “That was years ago, back when I was a trainee with JYP. As soon as I found out she was married, I stopped talking to her.” </p><p>But fear curled in his stomach. In this industry, rumors could be a death sentence to a career, and not just this career but his future as well.</p><p>Manager eyed him. “The others say you’re seeing someone.”</p><p>“I have someone I care about, but - it’s complicated.”</p><p>“As complicated as a married woman?”</p><p>Hyunwoo bit his lip. “Another idol.”</p><p>“Dammit, Hyunwoo! Are you insane?”</p><p>“It’s definitely not a married woman and certainly not that man’s married woman.” Hyunwoo jabbed a finger at the tablet screen.</p><p>Manager raked a hand through his hair. “Don’t think this is the last we’re talking about this. Keep your head down, all right?”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded. </p><p>“Now get back to practice.”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded again and returned to the practice room.</p><p>They danced hard till midnight, then trooped back to the dorm in silence.</p><p>“Don’t look at SNS,” Hyunwoo said. “You’ll just stress yourselves out.”</p><p>He mostly meant Jooheon, who was incredibly sensitive.</p><p>“Is it true?” Kihyun asked.</p><p>“You all know about my past and what’s true and what’s not,” Hoseok said, rubbing his eyes.</p><p>“Then we’ll fight and we’ll win,” Lee Minhyuk said firmly.</p><p>“It’s not that simple and you know it,” Hoseok said. “You know what netizens are like.”</p><p>Hyungwon squeezed his shoulder gently.</p><p>As soon as he could, Hyunwoo found a moment alone and texted Minhyuk.</p><p>
  <em> The rumor on the news. It’s a lie. I met that woman back when I was a JYP trainee and only talked to her a little and I stopped talking to her as soon as I found out she was married.  </em>
</p><p>Minhyuk’s response was immediate. <em> I know. Don’t worry. Sleep well. Work hard for your comeback. I’m excited for your new MV! The last one was so good. So sad! Tell Hyungwon-hyung he deserves an Oscar. </em></p><p>Hyunwoo felt some of the weight on his shoulders ease and promised himself he’d find a good moment to tell Hyungwon what Minhyuk had thought of his acting in the MV for the pre-release single.</p><hr/><p>Hyunwoo and his teammates met with management early the next morning, discussed both the news of Hoseok’s scandal and Hyunwoo’s.</p><p>Hyunwoo’s was easy to handle and was being swiftly dealt with by the company attorneys. </p><p>Even though Hoseok’s could have been straightforward, netizens had piled on, and the anti targeting him was making a lot of noise on SNS, and it was getting ugly.</p><p>“Maybe it’d be better if I just sat out of this round of promotions,” Hoseok said. “To take the heat off of the rest of you.”</p><p>“That’d just be admitting guilt,” Changkyun protested.</p><p>The team of attorneys sitting at the conference table looked grim. The team of PR staff in dark suits looked equally grim.</p><p>“Look, just do your best at the comeback stage and we’ll go from there,” Manager said. “We’ll handle things on our end. You do your job, and we’ll do ours.”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded.</p><p>It should have been that simple, but it wasn’t.</p><p>Even though plenty of fans were supportive of the team, there were antis in the crowd during pre-recording and recording for the comeback stage, and Hyunwoo did his best to protect Hoseok, but as loud as the fans cheered, Hyunwoo and his teammates weren’t deaf, and they could hear the insults and slurs, and Hyunwoo put his arm around Hoseok’s shoulders and guided him back to the dressing room as fast as he could and then all six of them held him while he cried.</p><p>This was hell.</p><p>To hell with those antis. Hyunwoo saw his other teammates square their shoulders and lift their chins and get out on that stage and slay, because they refused to be cowed by the hatred and judgment and stupidity of netizens and their unwillingness to forgive someone who’d worked hard to overcome a difficult past. </p><p>Hyunwoo went out there to slay with them.</p><p>But it was for nothing, because then the allegations of criminal activity hit SNS, and the police were involved, and even though the company was willing to fight, Hyunwoo and his teammates were willing to fight, there was only so much a man could take.</p><p>“It’s best for the team - and for me. I don’t want to drag you down, and I don’t think I can handle all the - all the noise.” Hoseok stood at the door, his suitcase by his side.</p><p>Jooheon was bawling.</p><p>Hyungwon was ugly crying, but silently.</p><p>Lee Minhyuk was hanging onto both of them and also crying.</p><p>Kihyun was crying as well, but with the kind of dignity that Hyunwoo envied and kind of hated.</p><p>Changkyun was watching with that disturbing Changkyun calm that usually meant something was on fire in the other room, tears sliding down his face.</p><p>“Please reconsider,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“I’ve thought about it a lot,” Hoseok said. “It’s what’s best.”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded stiffly and couldn’t speak. Then he pulled Hoseok into a hug because he didn’t trust himself to speak, and Hoseok hugged him back, so tight Hyunwoo couldn’t breathe, and Lee Minhyuk flung himself into the mix, and Jooheon did too, and they were all hugging, and Hyunwoo didn’t want to ever let go, but of course they had to let go.</p><p>By the time the company posted the official announcement on SNS and Hoseok’s goodbye letter to the fancafe, Hyunwoo and his teammates were back in the practice room rehearsing the new choreography for six people, and Kihyun and Lee Minhyuk had gone into the studio to lay down backing studios for the new six-person vocal arrangement of their title track.</p><p>They recorded a six-person version of the dance practice so fans could see the choreo.</p><p>Hyunwoo was running on autopilot. He wasn’t sure if he was eating or sleeping. He was dancing. He was singing. He was waving at cameras. He was bowing and greeting fans. He could hear fan chants in his head even when everything around him was supposed to be silent, when he was lying in his bunk in the dark when he was supposed to be asleep (but he couldn’t hear Hoseok breathing in the bunk above his). </p><p>Hyunwoo was...hollow.</p><p>He did his best to comfort and lead his teammates, but everyone knew Hoseok was supposed to have been the leader, and Hyunwoo had been defaulted into being the leader on account of being the oldest and also being patient. Hyunwoo could sense his teammates tiptoeing around him, avoiding him, and he felt bad, but whenever they had a few hours to rest in the dorm, he retreated to his bunk and lay there, trying to sleep and failing.</p><p>And then one day there was a knock on the door, and Changkyun said,</p><p>“There’s someone here to see you.”</p><p>Dread curled in Hyunwoo’s stomach. Was it management with more bad news? He rolled to his feet and shuffled to the front door, where someone stood in the hallway, tucked into a hoodie and jeans, wearing a mask and glasses.</p><p>“Hello?” Hyunwoo asked.</p><p>The figure tugged back the hood and tugged down the mask.</p><p>“Hyung,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>Hyunwoo blinked, confused. “What are you doing here?” He stepped back, tugged Minhyuk into the apartment and closed the door quickly before anyone could see. “Is everything all right?”</p><p>Minhyuk blinked at him. “You texted me and asked me to come. It sounded urgent.” He bit his lip. “If Jinwoo-hyung finds out I left the dorm -”</p><p>“Texted you?” Hyunwoo patted himself down. “Where’s my phone?”</p><p><em> “Heol,” </em> Lee Minhyuk said. <em> “You’re </em> Peachy Purple Heart?”</p><p>“Told you it was a boy.” Hyungwon held out a hand.</p><p>Changkyun gave him twenty-thousand won.</p><p>Hyunwoo turned to his teammates. “Did you steal my phone and text my -” Boyfriend? Hookup who I’m kind of in love with but he doesn’t know it? Best dancing friend with excellent benefits?</p><p>Kihyun lifted his chin. “You haven’t been eating or sleeping since Hoseokie-hyung left. You’ve lost weight. We had to do <em> something.” </em></p><p>Minhyuk bounced nervously on his toes. “So you didn’t text me.”</p><p>Hyunwoo scrubbed a hand over his face. “I know you’re in the middle of preparing for your comeback. I wouldn’t ask you to sneak out of your dorm during this very important time because, as a leader, I know how important this time is.” He peered between his fingers at his teammates. “You <em> stole my phone?” </em></p><p>Changkyun shrugged. “It’s not like you were paying attention to it. We all know the passcode anyway.” He examined his fingernails and avoided Hyunwoo’s gaze.</p><p>Minhyuk said, “My name in your phone is Peachy Purple Heart?”</p><p>Hyungwon, damn him, unlocked Hyunwoo’s phone with a competent swipe of his finger and held it out. “See?”</p><p>“So when you asked me what my favorite fruit was -”</p><p>“I already have a Minhyuk on my team,” Hyunwoo muttered.</p><p>Kihyun eyed him. “How old are you?”</p><p>“Twenty-two,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>“Hyung?” Jooheon asked.</p><p>“What’s his name in <em> your </em> phone?” Lee Minhyuk asked.</p><p>Minhyuk sighed and unlocked his phone and held it out.</p><p>“That’s so cute,” Lee Minhyuk cooed, and Hyunwoo, against his better judgment, leaned in to see.</p><p>It was <em> Nunu-hyung </em> with an emoji of a teddy bear.</p><p>“What about your teammate Eunwoo?” Kihyun asked. “Wouldn’t he be suspicious? Or does he know about Hyunwoo-hyung?”</p><p>“Eunwoo-hyung’s real name is Dongmin, and in my phone Jinwoo-hyung is Jinjin-leader,” Minhyuk said. “And no, my teammates don’t know about Hyunwoo-hyung either.”</p><p>“Since you’re here,” Hyungwon said, “you might as well eat with us, and then -”</p><p>“And then I’ll call you a cab so you can get back to your dorm so your leader doesn’t murder you,” Hyunwoo said firmly.</p><p>“Hyung,” Jooheon protested. “He came all this way.”</p><p>Hyunwoo swallowed hard. He wanted Minhyuk to stay. He wanted to hold Minhyuk in his arms and close his eyes and forget the world for a while, but that wasn’t possible - for either of them.</p><p>Minhyuk reached up, curved a hand around Hyunwoo’s jaw, held his gaze. “I’m here. When things were crazy for me, you were there. And now I’m here.”</p><p>Changkyun said, “Jooheon and I can probably smooth things over with Jinwoo.”</p><p>Hyunwoo considered. As a leader, he knew how stressful the lead-up to a comeback could be. But right now -</p><p>“I am a really smooth talker,” Jooheon said.</p><p>“I’m here,” Minhyuk said again.</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded. He reached into his pocket, handed Hyungwon his credit card. “Order food. Let me know when it gets here.”</p><p>“Ooh, flex,” Kihyun said.</p><p>But Hyungwon just said, “Yes, hyung.”</p><p>Hyunwoo led Minhyuk to the bedroom. “Just lay with me?”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded, and they crawled into Hyunwoo’s bunk and curled together.</p><p>“I can’t imagine what you’re going through,” Minhyuk said quietly. </p><p>Hyunwoo said, “I’ve missed you. When this is all over - comeback promotions, everything else, do you want to go on a real date? Dinner and a movie or - something. Real. Something better than a love hotel and hiding behind masks.”</p><p>Minhyuk said, “I’d love to.”</p><p>Hyunwoo curled closer to him, and they lay together, just being, till Hyungwon came to tell them that the food had arrived.</p><p>They gathered around the table in the den, and Hyunwoo made sure Minhyuk had a fair share of food (it was almost reflexive, dividing the food for seven people), when Minhyuk’s phone rang.</p><p>Incoming call from his team leader.</p><p>Minhyuk took a deep breath - and then answered on speaker.</p><p>“Minhyuk-ah, where are you?” Jinwoo asked.</p><p>“I’m out,” he said.</p><p>“I can see that.” Jinwoo’s tone was dangerously patient. “You should be at the dorm. We have to practice early tomorrow.”</p><p>“I know. I promise I’ll be home in time for practice.”</p><p>Jinwoo sighed. “You’re out with that person, aren’t you? Your Teddy Bear-hyung.”</p><p>“I am.”</p><p>“Does he understand how important this time is for you?”</p><p>“He does.”</p><p>“And yet he asked you to go to him.”</p><p>“At least his teammates knew he was dating a boy,” Lee Minhyuk muttered.</p><p>“Not exactly,” Minhyuk said. “He’s been really upset, so his friends took his phone and texted me so I’d come over. His friends didn’t realize who I am, or they probably wouldn’t have asked. I’m eating with them, and then he’ll order me a taxi so I can come home quickly. I promise I’m not eating junk food.”</p><p>“It’s serious, then. We should have a talk with management,” Jinwoo said.</p><p>“We will,” Minhyuk promised.</p><p>Hyunwoo needed to have a talk with his own management team.</p><p>“Will you ever let us meet him?” Jinwoo asked. “Seeing as how his friends have met you.”</p><p>Minhyuk looked at Hyunwoo.</p><p>He cleared his throat and leaned in closer to the phone. “Ah, hello. I’m Son Hyunwoo.”</p><p>There was a long silence, and then, “Shownu-sunbae?”</p><p>In the background, Bin said, “I <em> told </em> you I saw him watching Shownu dance videos on his phone, and when I told him he’d never be able to dance like that he got all sulky and said he was <em> just watching.” </em></p><p><em> “How </em> long have you two been dating?” Jinwoo asked.</p><p>“Surely not since Hit the Stage,” Eunwoo said primly in the background.</p><p>Kihyun smacked Hyunwoo on the arm. “Cradle-robber!”</p><p>“No, it’s not like that,” Hyunwoo protested.</p><p>“Since a little before that Always You special stage,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>Sanha said, <em> “Daebak. </em> You’re usually so bad at keeping secrets.”</p><p>“Like I said, I wouldn’t have called him away from the dorm,” Hyunwoo said, “and if my teammates had known who he was, they wouldn’t have either.”</p><p>“If you’d just told us who your Peachy Purple Heart was -” Lee Minhyuk began.</p><p>Hyungwon clapped a hand over his teammate’s mouth. “We’re very sorry. We were only looking out for our leader. You’d do the same for yours.”</p><p>It was Myungjun who said, “You’re going through a hard time. We’re very sorry as well.”</p><p>Changkyun said, “Don’t be. Nobody died.”</p><p>“For which we are all glad,” Jinwoo said smoothly. “Please send our main dancer home safely, and thank you for feeding him. Have your management contact our management as soon as is convenient. See you soon, Minhyukie.”</p><p>“You too!” Lee Minhyuk sang out once he’d escaped Hyungwon’s hand.</p><p>The call ended, and Hyunwoo face-palmed. “This,” he said. “This is why I never told you about him.”</p><p>It was Hyungwon who said, “So, tell us all the details. How did you meet? What was your first date like?”</p><p>Lee Minhyuk added, “Who tops? Who bottoms? Who’s the loudest during sex?”</p><p>Hyunwoo shoved him away from the table. “Shut up and eat your food.” To Minhyuk, he said, “I’m very sorry.”</p><p>Lee Minhyuk picked himself back up and dusted himself off and resumed eating with an unrepentant grin.</p><p>Minhyuk said, “I top, but he’s louder.”</p><p>Kihyun choked on a mouthful of rice.</p><p>Changkyun said, “He’s a keeper.”</p><p>Jooheon handed Kihyun a bottle of water and looked distressed. Hyungwon patted Jooheon’s hand and put some kimchi on his plate.</p><p>After the meal, Hyunwoo ordered Minhyuk a taxi on his phone and prepaid with his credit card, and they curled up on the couch and waited till they got notification that the taxi had arrived.</p><p>“Thank you for coming,” Hyunwoo said quietly. “I’m sorry my teammates tricked you.”</p><p>“Don’t think you can’t ask me to come see you.”</p><p>“You’re preparing for your comeback,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“There is that.”</p><p>Hyunwoo’s phone buzzed. He checked it. “Taxi’s here.” </p><p>He led Minhyuk to the door, waited while Minhyuk put his shoes on.</p><p>“Good luck,” Hyunwoo said. “Tell Jinwoo-ssi I’m sorry.”</p><p>“He’ll understand,” Minhyuk said. He added, “I missed you too.” </p><p>Hyunwoo decided he didn’t care that his teammates were probably staring, and he gathered Minhyuk in his arms and held him for a moment.</p><p>Minhyuk must not have cared either, because he leaned in for a kiss, soft but lingering. Then he pulled on his mask and his glasses, tugged up his hood, and ducked out of the apartment.</p><p>“Text when you get home,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>Minhyuk nodded, and then Hyunwoo closed the door.</p><p>“Management is going to kill you,” Kihyun said.</p><p>“He’s definitely not a married woman,” Changkyun said.</p><p>Hyungwon said, “You care about him a lot.”</p><p>Hyunwoo looked at all of them. “Don’t ever do something like that again. You could have caused so much trouble for him. I’m changing the passcode on my phone.”</p><p>“But you were glad to see him, right?” Jooheon asked. “You feel better?”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded. “Yeah. I feel better.”</p><p>“Then I’d do it again,” Lee Minhyuk said.</p><hr/><p>Hyunwoo ducked down a side hallway, phone tucked against his ear. “Are you all right?” He was still wearing his stage costume and his staff would come looking for him any moment, but he figured this was his chance.</p><p>His management and Minhyuk’s management were still griping over their relationship, but given that they’d managed to keep it secret from their own teams, not to mention the media and fans (and Hyunwoo’s management was glad that Minhyuk was rather the opposite of a married woman), as long as they continued to keep it a secret and didn’t get distracted from work, they had a green light.</p><p>“I’m fine, why?” Minhyuk asked. “Aren’t you doing recording at a broadcast show right now?”</p><p>“Just got done filming.”</p><p>“Hyung! Shouldn’t you be -”</p><p>“I have a few moments. I saw the press release, about your Bin-hyung. Are you all right?”</p><p>“Bin-hyung needs a break for his mental health is all. I know the fans will be disappointed, but his mental health is important, and we all understand that,” Minhyuk said. “Now get back to work.”</p><p>“I saw the teaser for your music video,” Hyunwoo said. “Are you in a <em> cage?” </em></p><p>“Hyung! Work! I have to go. You’ll see the music video at the same time as everyone else. I know you’re a fan. <em> NunuRaki223.” </em></p><p>Hyunwoo spluttered. “How did you find that out?”</p><p>“I know you, hyung. Work hard. Love you.” And Minhyuk hung up.</p><p>“Glad you’re okay,” Hyunwoo said, too late, and stared at his phone.</p><p>
  <em> Love you. </em>
</p><p>Heart pounding, he tapped out a text message.</p><p>
  <em> Love you too. </em>
</p><p>A moment later, Kihyun poked his head into the little alcove Hyunwoo had found. “There you are! Come <em> on.” </em> Then he narrowed his eyes. “Were you talking to <em> Peachy Purple Heart?” </em></p><p>“No,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>Kihyun rolled his eyes, grabbed Hyunwoo’s arm, and dragged him back to the dressing room. “You’re such a terrible liar.”</p><p>As soon as they were behind a closed door, Hyunwoo said, “I was just checking to make sure he was all right. I saw the announcement that one of his teammates won’t be promoting with them.”</p><p>Kihyun sobered. “Oh.”</p><p>“It’s fine. Bin-ssi just needs a mental health break. But - I wanted to make sure.” Hyunwoo shook himself out.</p><p>Hoseok’s absence was still a raw wound, and the others were able to navigate around it for the sake of public appearances, but the rest of the time they were tense and frustrated. Having to pretend that Hoseok had never existed was ridiculous when he was their friend and their brother, but they all knew the rules.</p><p>Hyunwoo knew his teammates were kind of using the entertainment factor of his newly-revealed relationship as a bit of an escape from all that was going, so he did his best to bear it when they teased him or asked annoying questions. </p><p>“How is Peachy Purple Heart doing otherwise?” Hyungwon asked from where he was sprawled on the couch with a little electric hand fan.</p><p>Everyone was careful not to say Minhyuk’s name aloud, partially out of discretion, partially to avoid confusion with their own teammate, but mostly because they enjoyed the silliness of the nickname. </p><p>“Fine. Working hard. Getting ready for the big day.”</p><p>“What’s this I hear about him getting a song accepted on the record?” Jooheon asked. </p><p>As the team’s budding songwriter now that Hoseok was gone, he had a vested interest in the process.</p><p>Hyunwoo’s team had a lot more in common with Minhyuk’s now: six members, two rappers, both of whom were songwriters. </p><p>“He did get a song he wrote accepted,” Hyunwoo said. “He wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the melody. He choreographed the stage for it, too, since it’s being used as the B-side for the comeback performance.”</p><p>Kihyun whistled appreciatively. “You must be very proud of him.”</p><p>“I am.”</p><p>Lee Minhyuk waggled his eyebrows. “What are you going to do to reward him? Since he tops, are you going to -?” He made an obscene gesture with one hand.</p><p>Hyunwoo decided to take a page out of his boyfriend’s book and said, “Maybe, but even though he tops he likes to blow me, so -”</p><p>Changkyun made a choking sound, so Hyunwoo considered it a win.</p><p>“Actually, I do want to do something nice for him, but I’m not sure what to do.”</p><p>“What nice things have you done for him in the past?” Hyungwon asked.</p><p>“When they got their first win I made him kimbap,” Hyunwoo said. “We went out for hot cocoa and we ate the kimbap.”</p><p>Kihyun’s eyes lit up. “I remember the time you were making kimbap. That was for him?”</p><p>“That’s actually really sweet,” Lee Minhyuk said.</p><p>“I bought him a pair of really nice dancing shoes for his birthday,” Hyunwoo added. “When we got our last win he sent me a stuffed alligator.”</p><p>Changkyun nodded wisely. “The alligator with the purple heart.”</p><p>“What did he get you for your birthday?” Jooheon asked.</p><p>“The cute lunchbox set, with the stars and stuff, obviously,” Changkyun said. <em> “Astro.” </em></p><p>Kihyun stared at Hyunwoo. “This whole time. You two have been disgustingly cute with each other this whole time and we didn’t know.”</p><p>Lee Minhyuk looked at Hyungwon. “If you were gonna do something disgustingly cute for your practically-a-teenager super dancer song-writer choreographer boyfriend, what would you do?”</p><p>“Take him on a date,” Hyungwon said, “but that’s too far away.”</p><p>“You should buy him jewelry,” Changkyun said. “Flex a little, show him you’re young and rich. But also that you know what he likes and that you have good taste. And it’s a gift he can wear, have near so he can think of you often.”</p><p>“Earrings,” Jooheon said. “A ring might be a bit too much, you know? But a nice pair of earrings would be a really nice gift.”</p><p>Hyungwon said, “I can help you figure out what he might like.”</p><p>Hyunwoo smiled at his teammates. “Thank you.”</p><p>“But also you should blow him,” Lee Minhyuk said.</p><p>Hyungwon, Jooheon, and Kihyun threw their water bottles at him.</p><hr/><p>Because Hyungwon was a good friend, he went back and looked through a bunch of Minhyuk’s old Instagram posts and Twitter selcas to analyze his personal fashion sense and recommended types of earrings Hyunwoo could buy. When Hyunwoo had a brief break in his schedule, he ducked out to a jewelry store and, after much convincing of the well-dressed clerks that he wasn’t out to acquire an engagement ring, managed to find a nice pair of blue studs that Minhyuk would hopefully like. He paid a little extra to get the velvet box gift-wrapped and packaged up with some chocolate and a rose and a little cute stuffed animal (the clerk eyed him strangely when he asked for a stuffed wolf, but she found one).</p><p>Delivering the gift was a bit nerve-wracking, but Hyunwoo figured he’d have to face the music eventually, so he went to Minhyuk’s dorm building and called.</p><p>“Hey, are you home?”</p><p>“Yeah, why?”</p><p>“Can I see you?”</p><p>“Are you here? You want me to come outside?”</p><p>“Ah - it’s a bit cold. Can I come up? For a bit? If it’s not a bother to your teammates.”</p><p>There was a pause, and Hyunwoo heard Minhyuk talking to his teammates, their voices muffled in the background, and then Minhyuk said,</p><p>“Come on up. We’re on the third floor. I’ll buzz you in.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Hyunwoo hovered by the door, shivering and regretting wearing only a hoodie, and ducked into the building as soon as he heard the door buzz. </p><p>Thankfully, he was the only person on the elevator. On the third floor, he had the text Minhyuk to find out which door was his, and then he knocked and waited, heart thumping a little too loudly.</p><p>It was Myungjun who answered the door, which at first was a surprise, because Jinwoo was the team leader, but then Hyunwoo remembered that Myungjun was the eldest.</p><p>“Good evening,” Hyunwoo said, bowing, feeling very much like an old-fashioned suitor come to call on a young woman. “I’m here to see Minhyuk.”</p><p>“Come in,” Myungjun said, and stepped back to let Hyunwoo in.</p><p>Hyunwoo bowed again and stepped into the foyer, took off his shoes.</p><p>Minhyuk was sitting on the couch surrounded by the rest of his teammates, expression apologetic.</p><p>“Sunbae,” Jinwoo said.</p><p>“Hello,” Hyunwoo said and wondered if he should do his team greeting. He held out the bag. “I brought a gift for Minhyuk, as congratulations for getting his song on the mini-album and it getting picked as the B-side for the comeback stages.”</p><p>“That’s very sweet,” Eunwoo said. </p><p>He nodded at Sanha, who jumped to his feet and scurried over to accept the bag, and then ferried it over to Minhyuk before resuming his seat on the couch. </p><p>All five of them crammed on there looked very uncomfortable but none of them looked inclined to move. </p><p>“Thank you, hyung,” Minhyuk said. “Should I open it now, or…?”</p><p><em> “Can </em> he open it now?” Bin arched an eyebrow.</p><p>Hyunwoo blinked. “Of course. It’s not a secret.” And then he blushed, realizing the implication that he’d brought Minhyuk something dirty. “Please, go ahead and open it.”</p><p>Minhyuk pawed aside the tissue paper and found the little handful of fancy gold-wrapped chocolates, which he smiled at. He set them on his lap - and promptly swatted at Sanha, who tried to steal one. Then he found the rose, which was only a little wilted. He leaned in and inhaled its scent, and he smiled again.</p><p>Bin also leaned in and sniffed it, nodded.</p><p>Minhyuk poked around the tissue paper some more and found the little stuffed wolf, and his eyes lit up. “Hyung! It’s adorable.” He cuddled it close and smiled.</p><p>“He really likes plush toys,” Jinwoo said approvingly.</p><p>“Ah, there’s more,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>Minhyuk blinked. “Oh?” He set the wolf down on top of the chocolate - preventing Sanha’s second attempt to steal a piece - and poked in the bag further.</p><p>When he came up with the little velvet box, the rest of his teammates fell silent and leaned in, watching as Minhyuk eased it open.</p><p>Minhyuk’s expression softened. “These are really pretty.” He looked up at Hyunwoo. “Thank you very much.”</p><p>Bin glanced at Hyunwoo. “Nice. These are his style.”</p><p>“Ah - Hyungwon helped me. He’s better at fashion than I am.”</p><p>“Hyungwon-ssi has good personal style,” Eunwoo said absently.</p><p>Minhyuk immediately popped his studs out and put the new ones in, tilted his head. “How do they look?”</p><p>Hyunwoo smiled. “Really great.”</p><p>Finally, Myungjun cleared his throat. “We’ll give you a few minutes alone.”</p><p>“Fifteen minutes,” Jinwoo said, and stood up from the couch, which was some kind of a cue for the others to do the same. He actually set a timer on his phone.</p><p>“No hanky-panky,” Myungjun added.</p><p>Minhyuk blushed. “Hyung!”</p><p>The others headed into one of the bedrooms, leaving Hyunwoo hovering awkwardly near the door and Minhyuk sitting on the couch clutching the gift bag like a shield. The bedroom door clicked shut, and Minhyuk relaxed.</p><p>“Sorry my teammates were so weird.”</p><p>“At least they didn’t threaten me,” Hyunwoo offered.</p><p>“Oh, they will. I’m surprised your teammates didn’t threaten me,” Minhyuk admitted. He reached up and touched his ears. “These are really pretty. Thank you so much.”</p><p>“I am really proud of you.” Hyunwoo cleared his throat. “I know you have to get up early tomorrow, so -”</p><p>Minhyuk patted the space on the couch beside him. “You can sit for a while. I know it’s cold out.”</p><p>Hyunwoo sat beside him. “So I was thinking. When you’re done with promotions and I’m done with promotions. Maybe we could go down to Busan? It’s a nice city, and the ocean is pretty, but it’s not Seoul. We could do fun things and get good food, stay in a nice hotel. A kind of holiday. Unless you’d want to go somewhere a bit fancier, like Jeju Island?”</p><p>“Busan would be really nice.” Minhyuk smiled. He reached out, curled his hand around Hyunwoo’s wrist. “Are you doing all right?”</p><p>“I’m as all right as I can be. There’s a lot of work to do, and as long as I’m working I’m - I’m okay.” Hyunwoo swallowed hard. “What about you? Bin-ssi seems okay.”</p><p>“He’s doing the best he can.” Minhyuk squeezed Hyunwoo’s wrist gently. “Thank you for coming tonight. I’ve missed you.”</p><p>“I’ve missed you too,” Hyunwoo admitted.</p><p>Minhyuk reached up and drew him into a kiss, and Hyunwoo surrendered, because he really had missed Minhyuk. He missed Minhyuk’s kisses and touches and his body, but he missed being close to Minhyuk, holding him and listening to his heart and feeling him breathe. Hyunwoo wrapped his arms around Minhyuk and tugged him closer, parted his lips and let Minhyuk lick into his mouth, and then Minhyuk was pushing him down and crawling on top of him and kissing him harder, and -</p><p>“All right, fifteen minutes are up,” Myungjun said firmly, barging out of the bedroom.</p><p>Hyunwoo sat up and pushed Minhyuk off of him, straightening his shirt, blushing.</p><p>Minhyuk glared but was also blushing. “That was barely five minutes.”</p><p>“We have to be up early tomorrow,” Jinwoo said.</p><p>Hyunwoo leaned down and gathered the scattered chocolates and the fallen rose and stuffed wolf, placed them on Minhyuk’s lap. “Let me know when you have a free day. Good luck on the music show tomorrow.”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. “Good night, hyung.”</p><p>Hyunwoo hurried to the door and put his shoes on. Sanha and Bin clustered around Minhyuk and tried to wheedle pieces of chocolate out of him. </p><p>Eunwoo, Jinwoo, and Myungjun clustered around Hyunwoo at the door while he tied his laces.</p><p>“He’s seven years younger than you,” Myungjun said.</p><p>“He is,” Hyunwoo admitted. </p><p>“He cares about you a lot,” Jinwoo said.</p><p>“I love him,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“You better care about him too, because -” Eunwoo cut himself off, and his eyes went wide.</p><p>“Does he know that?” Myungjun demanded.</p><p>“I’ve told him,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>Jinwoo blinked. Eunwoo blinked.</p><p>“Well.” Myungjun patted him on the shoulder. “Good luck with your promotions.”</p><p>“And you too. Fighting.” Hyunwoo bowed and ducked out of the apartment, and then he headed out into the cold.</p><hr/><p>“This is unexpected,” Hoseok said, sliding into the seat opposite Hyunwoo.</p><p>“Why? We’re still friends,” Hyunwoo said. “Brothers. Colleagues. Professionals.” </p><p>He looked Hoseok up and down, checking him over for signs of sickness and fatigue - and noting the differences in his appearance now that he had a more relaxed schedule. He wasn’t wearing makeup, and he hadn’t been to the shop in a while, so his eyebrows were bolder, and for all that he looked like he hadn’t been sleeping well, in some ways he looked more relaxed. </p><p>“True. Thank you for the meal.” Hoseok smiled and scanned the menu. Then he waved for the auntie who was running the ramyeun restaurant, and they placed their orders.</p><p>Hyunwoo and Hoseok had eaten there plenty of times before, and the auntie recognized them as regulars, was kind to them, especially since Hyunwoo ate a lot.</p><p>“You’ve lost weight,” Hoseok said. “You’ve been stressed out. I’m sorry -”</p><p>“Don’t apologize. I wanted to tell you myself, unless one of the others told you?” Hyunwoo fished his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it.</p><p>Hoseok raised his eyebrows. “Told me about what?”</p><p>“My Peachy Purple Heart.” Hyunwoo found a picture of him and Minhyuk and held it out for Hoseok to see, angled carefully so no one else could see.</p><p>Hoseok’s eyes went wide. “You mean -”</p><p>“I mean when I was stressed out the others stole my phone and texted him to come over and comfort me.”</p><p>Hoseok huffed. “They didn’t.”</p><p>“They did.”</p><p>“Ah - isn’t he young?”</p><p>“Don’t remind me.”</p><p>“He’s so cute though! You danced together on that show, right?” Hoseok smiled and swiped through the pictures.</p><p>“Yes, but - we met up again last year, kind of accidentally when we both had a night off.” Hyunwoo shrugged. </p><p>“What does his team think?”</p><p>“They seem mostly okay with it,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“And management?”</p><p>“They’re glad he’s not a married woman.”</p><p>Hoseok sobered. “I’ll bet.” He handed the phone back. “Are you happy?”</p><p>“I really am. This whole thing is crazy. He’s younger. We’re both who we are. We just got done with promotions and they’re getting done with promotions soon, and we hardly ever get to see each other, but other couples have made it work. We can too. I figured I’d tell you, though. I know when you meet him you’ll be nice to him, unlike the others.” Hyunwoo pocketed his phone. “Well, really only our Minhyuk has been a menace. Everyone else has been all right.”</p><p><em> “Our </em> Minhyuk?”</p><p>“I didn’t tell you? His name is also Minhyuk. It’s why he has a stage name. There’s been confusion more than once.”</p><p>Hoseok laughed, and it was so good to hear him laugh. The auntie brought them drinks, and talk shifted to Hoseok’s new gym routine and diet plan, Hyunwoo felt better than he had in a while.</p><p>After, he headed back to the dorm - he’d taken a massive risk, having a meal with Hoseok when fans might see, but part of him was beyond caring at this point - and he texted the others to let him know he was on his way.</p><p>He was halfway there when his phone rang. Incoming call from Peachy Purple Heart.</p><p>He answered immediately. “Hello?”</p><p>“Hyung, what are you doing this weekend?”</p><p>“Me? I have a rare day off. Why? Aren’t you going out of town to a festival?”</p><p>“Yes, down in Busan. I was thinking - since it ends late, we’re getting a hotel and staying overnight. I spoke to the others, and Sanha is willing to bunk with Manager-nim so I can have a room to myself. If you wanted to come to Busan with me, I could stay behind an extra night, and you and I could stay together. Two nights, two days in Busan. What do you think?”</p><p>Hyunwoo said, “I think it sounds perfect.”</p><hr/><p>It was perfect. The night of the performance, Minhyuk and his teammates were that bizarre combination of exhausted from performing but also high on adrenaline, so Hyunwoo hung out with them while they congregated in Jinwoo and Myungjun’s room to drink and celebrate. Minhyuk only had one drink and then abstained for the rest of the evening, and Hyunwoo abstained with him out of solidarity.</p><p>Once everyone else was passed out, Hyunwoo helped Minhyuk shuffle people off to their respective rooms before they retreated to Minhyuk’s room and Minhyuk’s bed.</p><p>Because Minhyuk was so tired after the post-show adrenaline crash, they only managed to kiss till they fell asleep.</p><p>And then the next day, they went on their first real date. Hyunwoo had researched all the fun and romantic things to do in Busan in winter, because a good leader - and a good boyfriend - was prepared. </p><p>They went ice skating at the Shinsegae Department Store. Both of them had been ice skating before, so neither of them was at risk of tripping and grievously injuring themselves. Since Minhyuk had had ballet training, he could do some really lovely extensions once he picked up speed, and people stopped and watched when he went gliding past, and Hyunwoo was inordinately proud. </p><p>At the Christmas Tree Festival, they posed for pictures with their favorite trees and took pictures of trees they wanted to try to recreate in the future. At the Busan Sea Life Aquarium, they went on a merry chase, searching for fish that looked like each of their teammates, and then they took pictures and video of the creatures and sent them to each teammate.</p><p>“A turtle for Hyungwon-hyung?” Minhyuk asked.</p><p>“Because he’s very slow and sleepy,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>“We use a snapping turtle for Jinwoo-hyung,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“He’s also slow,” Minhyuk said, “but there’s also the song Jinjin-jara.”</p><p>And both of them laughed.</p><p>When they were tired from all the walking around they went to the sauna to relax together. </p><p>While they were out and about, they took plenty of pictures and videos, most of which they sent to their teammates, usually with cute filters just to make their friends cringe.</p><p>Hyunwoo made sure to do the traditional date things, too, like winning Minhyuk a plush toy from a claw machine at an arcade. Minhyuk used his martial arts prowess to set a record at the punch ball machine.</p><p>“It’s not just about strength - it’s also about technique,” he explained. “Even though you’re bigger than me, because I have better technique, I can channel more of my weight into my punch, so my punch has more force. If I can get ninety percent of my weight into my punch but you can only get sixty percent of your weight into your punch, my punch is harder.”</p><p>Hyunwoo watched the numbers on the machine tick up. “You know,” he said, leaning in and lowering his voice, “when I was watching the broadcast of your ssireum match during Chuseok, the one where you almost lost but then won from the bottom, I was thinking that you are so much stronger than you look, that you know how to use every inch of muscle on your body, and I was thinking that even though I really love it when you just pound me into the mattress, it would be really fun to bottom from the top, ride you and let you -”</p><p>“Hyung!” Minhyuk hissed, swatting at him and blushing.</p><p>Hyunwoo chuckled and stepped back. He scooped up the stuffed wolf he’d won for Minhyuk, which Minhyuk had named Rudy after the dog who’d appeared in his team’s music video, and said, “Sorry not sorry.”</p><p>“What’s next?”</p><p>Hyunwoo grinned. “The fish market. You’ll love it. It’s the biggest fish market in the whole of South Korea.”</p><p>It wasn’t just the massive fish market - he’d signed them up for a tour of the fish market that culminated in a cooking class.</p><p>For all that Eunwoo was touted as the intellectual member of his team, Minhyuk was curious and attentive, taking in all the information and asking thoughtful questions when given the chance. The fish market was massive and sprawled across two floors of a giant warehouse. The restaurant on the second floor was run by a middle-aged man named Kitae who was their cooking instructor for the day.</p><p>“You’re so serious,” he said to Minhyuk.</p><p>“Ah - I really enjoy learning to cook,” Minhyuk said. “I was concentrating very hard.”</p><p>Kitae glanced at Hyunwoo. “And your friend?”</p><p>“I’m not a very good cook, but I like eating,” Hyunwoo offered. </p><p>“Well, then you’re a perfect pair, aren’t you? One cooks, one eats.” Kitae looked Hyunwoo up and down again. “Although you look like you could eat more.”</p><p>“Work has been very stressful for him lately, so we’re here for some healing and relaxation,” Minhyuk said.</p><p>Kitae nodded. “Excellent! Good food is always healing.”</p><p>There was something immensely satisfying about eating a meal they’d made themselves. They got to sit in the restaurant with some of the other people who’d taken the class and share their food. Usually, as idols, they’d go out of their way to promote themselves and their team however they could, but today was not that day. They were barefaced, they were wearing minimal jewelry - though Minhyuk was wearing the earrings Hyunwoo had bought him - and while they’d dressed nicely for each other, they certainly weren’t dressed like idols.</p><p>So while the others talked about what they did - Sarang was an office admin assistant; Chulsoo worked in IT; Ohseong was a teacher; Nari ran a small drycleaning store - Hyunwoo and Minhyuk kept their heads down and ate quietly.</p><p>“What about you?” Chulsoo asked. “What do you do?”</p><p>“Ah, I’m a songwriter,” Minhyuk said, which wasn’t a lie.</p><p>“Oh, anything we might have heard?” Sarang asked. She’d been batting her eyelashes at Minhyuk all tour.</p><p>“I got my first song accepted recently,” Minhyuk offered finally. He reached into his pocket and drew out his phone and unlocked it. “It’s not very popular, but you might have heard it.”</p><p>And he turned on When the Wind Blows.</p><p>“I haven’t heard it, but it is a nice song,” Nari said.</p><p>Minhyuk ducked his head. “Thank you.”</p><p>“What about Hyunwoo-ssi?” Sarang asked.</p><p>“I’m a dancer,” he said. “I’ve worked as a professional back-up dancer for idols.”</p><p>Ohseong lit up. “Like who?”</p><p>“Ah, Lee Hyori-sunbaenim back in the day,” Hyunwoo said. He unlocked his phone and found a video. “For her Bad Girls comeback.”</p><p>“Wow, that is you,” Ohseong said. “Is she as beautiful in person?”</p><p>“She’s very beautiful, and very nice and professional,” Hyunwoo said. </p><p>Minhyuk said, “You wore less and less with every stage.”</p><p>“Ah - yes,” Hyunwoo admitted. He glanced at Minhyuk. Was he jealous? “I just wore what I was told. It’s part of the job.”</p><p>Then he noticed Nari eyeing him.</p><p>She said, “Dancers have to be in good shape.”</p><p>“It’s part of the job,” Hyunwoo said again, as diplomatically as possible.</p><p>Kitae returned to check on them and see how they were enjoying the food, and talk turned to everyone else’s cooking history and experience, and then the meal ended, and Hyunwoo and Minhyuk slipped away and headed back to the hotel.</p><p>“Are you all right?” Hyunwoo asked. “You’ve been quiet.”</p><p>“I was thinking,” Minhyuk said, unlocking the door.</p><p>They both paused just inside the door to kick off their shoes.</p><p>“About?”</p><p>“About what you mentioned at the arcade.”</p><p>Hyunwoo shrugged off his coat and hung it in the closet. “You want to try it?”</p><p>Minhyuk shrugged out of his coat, and Hyunwoo accepted it from him and hung it up as well. “I was thinking that whenever I’m inside you, you really seem to enjoy yourself, and I’ve never hurt you, and I was wondering if we could switch. For once. I mean if you really don’t want to maybe I could just, you know, experiment by myself sometime. I honestly don’t know why I haven’t before, but -”</p><p>“If you want to, we can.”</p><p>Minhyuk looked at him. “Really? It’s that simple?”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded. “Yes.”</p><p>“But all this time, you’ve never wanted to try?” Minhyuk looked away. “I thought maybe you didn’t want me that way, or -”</p><p>Hyunwoo reached out, tugged Minhyuk close so they could be face to face, though he didn’t force Minhyuk to look at him. “I’ve wanted you that way many times, but I didn’t want your first time like that to be on the floor of a practice room or in a cheap love motel.”</p><p>Minhyuk lifted his head sharply. Then he said, “I <em> love </em> you,” and he hauled Hyunwoo into a kiss.</p><p>Hyunwoo stumbled from the force of it, caught himself with his hands on Minhyuk’s shoulders. Minhyuk nipped at Hyunwoo’s mouth till he parted his lips, and then Minhyuk licked his way inside. All the while, he was shuffling them over to the bed, and he was tugging Hyunwoo’s shirt free of his jeans, and then -</p><p>And then they were tumbling onto the bed, and they were kissing and rubbing against each other, and heat was building between them.</p><p>“What do you want?” Hyunwoo asked. “Do you want to be on top? Do you want to be on your stomach on some pillows, or on your hands and knees, or -?”</p><p>“I want you on top of me,” Minhyuk panted. “I want to see your face when you come. I want to feel you <em> in </em> me and <em> on </em> me and -”</p><p>Hyunwoo groaned and kissed him, heat spiking in his veins.</p><p>“Can you take it slow? Make it last?” Minhyuk asked when they paused for breath.</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded, panting. “Anything you want.”</p><p>Minhyuk said again, “I love you.”</p><p>Hyunwoo said, “I love you too.”</p><p>Minhyuk darted his fingers under the hem of Hyunwoo’s shirt. “Should we take our clothes off?”</p><p>“Only as much as you’re comfortable with.”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded and started unfastening the buttons on Hyunwoo’s shirt, and Hyunwoo held still and let him take control. Minhyuk’s hands on him were confident, sure, and finally they were both laid bare for each other. They sprawled out on the bed side by side, just looking at each other, because they rarely had the chance to do so.</p><p>“You’re beautiful,” Hyunwoo murmured, stroking a hand up the curve of Minhyuk’s thigh and hip.</p><p>Minhyuk’s skin was sleek and golden and smooth, warm under Hyunwoo’s hand.</p><p>“What now?” Minhyuk asked.</p><p>“Now we do whatever we want till you’re ready,” Hyunwoo said.</p><p>Minhyuk nodded and ducked his head, nuzzled Hyunwoo’s throat, so Hyunwoo tipped his head back and let Minhyuk taste all he wanted.</p><p>They kissed and caressed and teased till Minhyuk finally said, “I’m ready.”</p><p>He lay back, and Hyunwoo licked and kissed his way down Minhyuk’s torso before settling between his thighs. Hyunwoo wrapped one arm around Minhyuk’s waist to steady him, curled a hand around his cock, and swirled his tongue around the head. Minhyuk squeezed his eyes shut and panted. </p><p>“Hyung, don’t tease,” Minhyuk begged, but Hyunwoo kept licking and sucking, and while Minhyuk was gasping and cursing, Hyunwoo opened him up with one slick finger.</p><p>Minhyuk’s breath hitched with the initial breach, and Hyunwoo flicked his tongue just below the head of Minhyuk’s cock in a tantalizing flutter. Minhyuk whimpered, and Hyunwoo slid his finger in further, crooked it, and found Minhyuk’s sweet spot.</p><p>Minhyuk let out a shout, and he grabbed Hyunwoo’s shoulder and squeezed.</p><p>“No, I don’t want to come, not yet, I want you inside me, hyung <em> please -” </em></p><p>Hyunwoo pulled up off of his cock with a filthy slurp and said, “Ready for more?”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded frantically, and Hyunwoo started working him open with a second finger.</p><p>By the time Minhyuk was ready with a third finger, his cock was rock-hard and dark and leaking, and he was squirming and writhing and begging.</p><p>“We’ll take it slow, I promise,” Hyunwoo murmured, withdrawing his hand.</p><p>He slicked up his own cock carefully, and then he positioned himself. “Ready?”</p><p>Minhyuk nodded. He reached up and curled his hand around the back of Hyunwoo’s neck, pressed their foreheads together, and watched as Hyunwoo eased himself inside slowly.</p><p>“Are you all right? Am I hurting you?”</p><p>Minhyuk bit his lip, panting, shook his head. “No, hyung -” He threw his head back and cried out.</p><p>Hyunwoo froze.</p><p>Minhyuk wrapped his legs around Hyunwoo’s waist and thrust himself all the way down onto Hyunwoo’s cock. “That spot - inside me - I can feel it.” </p><p>He wriggled, and Hyunwoo’s brain short-circuited, because he was so hot and tight and perfect and -</p><p>“Hyung. Move. Please.”</p><p>Hyunwoo nodded and started to thrust, slow and careful.</p><p>Minhyuk’s hand on the back of Hyunwoo’s neck tightened. “Harder. Faster. <em> Please.” </em></p><p>Hyunwoo closed his eyes and caught Minhyuk’s mouth in a kiss, open-mouthed and filthy, tongues twining, and then he started thrusting his hips.</p><p>Minhyuk moaned and moved his hips in counterpoint, and there was a reason they said sex was like dancing, the sharing of rhythm and motion, the exchange of energy and passion. </p><p>Together they built up speed and rhythm, and finally Hyunwoo was pinning Minhyuk to the bed, hips snapping brutally, his hand between them as he stroked Minhyuk’s cock even while Minhyuk nipped and licked at his throat, playing with his nipples as they raced to see who could make the other come first.</p><p>Hyunwoo shifted the angle of his hips and found Minhyuk’s sweet spot, stroking his cock along it with every thrust, and after several thrusts Minhyuk came with a roar, his back arching in a perfect bow, lips parted, eyes shut. Hyunwoo came moments later, tipped over the edge by Minhyuk’s body tightening around his cock.</p><p>After, they curled around each other beneath the soft sheets.</p><p>“No wonder you like it so much,” Minhyuk murmured. </p><p>“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”</p><p>Minhyuk nestled close. “Thanks for making it special.”</p><p>Hyunwoo pressed a brief kiss to his hair. “Love you.”</p><p>Minhyuk said, “Love you too. I had a really great time today.”</p><p>“Me too.”</p><p>“After we rest, you want to try the thing you mentioned at the arcade? You bottoming from the top?”</p><p>“After we rest. I’m old.”</p><p>“You’re not that old.”</p><hr/><p>An all-English album wasn’t something Hyunwoo had ever imagined he’d be doing, but he’d learned English in school and wasn’t terrible at it and could sing in English all right, so he’d done his best.</p><p>Of course, all the English promos were in America.</p><p>On Valentine’s Day.</p><p>When he could have been with his boyfriend.</p><p>At least Hyunwoo and his team had done enough American promos before that they had some familiarity with some of the American programs they were on.</p><p>“So,” the interviewer said, “Middle of the Night. Great song. Smooth vocals. Very moody vibe. Which of you would be the type to have a lover your friends didn’t know about, that you’d sneak off to see in the middle of the night, make out in the car with?”</p><p>Hyunwoo felt at least two of his teammates - one of them definitely Lee Minhyuk - glance his way, but he maintained a calm, neutral expression.</p><p>Jooheon said, immediately, “Our girlfriend is Monbebe. We’d never sneak out to see Monbebe. Our love for Monbebe isn’t a secret.”</p><p>That kind of answer was really cheesy in America, but it was the best answer they could give.</p><p>After the interview, Changkyun asked, “Have you and Peachy Purple Heart ever made out in a car?”</p><p>Hyunwoo said, patiently, “Neither of us has a car.”</p><p>But his phone buzzed with a text message. </p><p>
  <em> Even though it’s the middle of the night here, I caught your interview on YouTube. You looked really great out there today. </em>
</p><p>Minhyuk had sent a picture.</p><p>Of himself.</p><p>Lying in the back seat of a car.</p><p>Winking at the camera.</p><p>Hyungwon peeked over Hyunwoo’s shoulder and hooted.</p><p>Hyunwoo typed back, <em> You look really great too. Love you, </em> and put his phone away and resolved not to look at it till he got back to the hotel.</p><p><em> See you soon, </em>he thought, and resolved to work hard till then.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Title from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx4TOIy902E">Middle of the Night</a> by Monsta X:<br/>And I'll be on the way in the middle of the night<br/>It's something in the way you've been running my mind<br/>If you want me to stay for the rest of my life<br/>You got me</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxQSJUrHpz8">Shownu and Rocky on UDF</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsT0OuLGjdU">Astro - Always You</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzigwCsdp9w">Monsta X - Shoot Out</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1t9H4exv4M">Astro dance line INK festival opening</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDwX6VWcYZc">Monsta X - water dance break</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEE1UC90I0o">Astro - All Night</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W93eN8m_968">MX Mirror + Find You + Follow</a></p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5w6qfji0hM">Astro - When the Wind Blows</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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